The Prophecy
by Carpathian Rose
Summary: He claimed her body as his mate to tame the power of the Jewel. It was a Prophecy. It was her mind and soul he hadn't claimed. Someone else comes and the Prophecy is threatened-will it change when her true mate comes? He will do anything to claim her. AU
1. Chapter 1

**Summary: **

**He had claimed her body as his own-his mate-to tame the power of the Jewel. It was a Prophecy. She was the only Priestess with the power to control the Jewel but only for a time. The Prophecy stated a demon would take her and mate her to tame the power and keep it between the two. The Prophecy. It was the only way. The Prophecy is threatened-or is it?-when someone else comes. Who is he? He intrigues her and he lusts after her. Is he her true mate? He will do anything to claim her.**

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><p>He stared across the dark lands, the look in his eyes cold and unfeeling. Calm—unerringly so. Calm, considering the battle that had taken place. Cold, merciless amber eyes slid closed. He had made the choice. He despised humans. In the end, for the sake of humans and demons alike, he had done what had to be done. It was sacrilegious for him to take what was not his and that Priestess, she was not his mate. He had waited for her Mate to come and claim her—he had to come, otherwise this Era would have been lost in nothingness. The Prophecy had come and the Jewel was too powerful. Too powerful to be controlled alone.<p>

_When Power is complete, she of light must become one with the Strong. Only then will Power be tamed, the bond complete. Power above all will be between the two, forming Power into the two. Only four choices and one must be made. The end of the moon, it must be done or all the world will be undone._

He had waited and waited. He was a powerful demon and he knew he was one of the four strong enough to for the bond. He despised humans but for the continuation of the demon race, he had taken her. If he hadn't, they all would have been lost. She was a Priestess—strong. But she had known the Prophecy and when he had walked into her temple, she had known. Still, she was human and he despised that weakness in her. Now, the Jewel was controlled, the power contained between the two.

He opened his eyes and saw her reflection in the window. The Jewel floated above a white pristine table, the aura surrounding it a soft pink. She moved her hands over the aura, her eyes unseeing as she focused on the energy. He could feel the power throbbing inside him, knowing she felt the same response. She had to purify the Jewel every night of the full moon. The power was contained in their bodies from the mating and from the Prophecy but the threat of evil was still there. He heard her soft sigh and barely acknowledged her as she Jewel faded.

No matter his distaste for humans, he did what had to be done. Now they would all have a chance to survive in this world. And this Priestess—she was not his mate in mind and soul, but she was in body.

And what was his, he would not return.

He turned to face her, the look in his eyes unreadable. The Jewel had to be purified on the night of each Full Moon; and he had to take her body. He held his hand out to her and she placed her small one in his. He could see the reluctance in her dark eyes but she would not deny him. She, a Priestess, knew the Prophecy. He had taken her, mated her body to his—she bore his mark—and she had no right to refuse him. If he didn't take her on the night of the full moon the Jewel would grow unstable.

"Undress."

She slid her naked body onto the bed, her gaze beyond his shoulder and lay down. Her dark hair, almost pitch black, spread over his pillow. She was beautiful—but human. She turned her head to the side as he settled his body over hers. He didn't need to look into her eyes to take her. He gripped her thighs and spread them wide as he settled his naked body between. He felt her body jerk as he thrust into her body, ever tight. He closed his eyes, reveling in the pleasure that came with sex as he began thrusting.

A tear rolled out of the corner of the Priestess eyes.

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><p>The Western Lands was a vast, massive landscape. They were beautiful but so cold. So empty. She felt empty. For years she had known about the Prophecy. She knew it by heart, knew that one day she would have to mate with a demon. Sometimes, life just wasn't fair to those who truly deserved it. A Priestess mated to a demon. Some people would laugh at that but their mating had saved the world, along with the Jewel. She had always hated to think of the Prophecy. When she had first seen Lord Sesshomaru enter her Temple, she had known what he wanted.<p>

The look in his eyes had been so cold, so calculated. He was one of the four demons of the Prophecy. In her human mind and human heart she had hoped that a kind demon would come to her. Even hopes of someone who wasn't dominating—domineering. She knew better. The Prophecy wouldn't have chosen weak demons to protect the Jewel. She closed her eyes. She was subject to her fate but sometimes her mind would wander. Why her? Was she really so powerful? Sesshomaru had claimed her as his mate for the Jewel—to protect it. Her body was his. Then why did she feel so alone? She was so empty inside.

"Priestess Kagome!"

Her eyes slid open at her name to see a small fox demon hopping her way. She smiled, her mind leaving those dreary thoughts that were her life. "Well, hello there, Shippo." She replied softly as the fox demon skidded to a stop beside her. "Why are you in such a hurry?"

"You have got to come see what I've found!"

She arched an eyebrow at his enthusiasm. He was clutching his small hands and jumping up and down and then from one foot to the next.

"And what did you find?"

He shook his head and looked at her expectantly and then took off in the direction he had just come from. He clearly expected her to follow him. She glanced up at the towering castle as she stood and brushed the grass from her kimono. Turning her back she took off in the wake of the fox demon. "Shippo?" She called out as ducked beneath a heavy, low hanging branch. She adjusted her bow and pack of arrows she held strapped over her lower back as she trudged deeper into the forest.

"Shippo?"

"Over here!"

She sighed and followed the sound of his voice. She walked past a few trees and then spotted his fluffy tail. "Shippo, what are you…" She trailed off as she looked behind him and froze. She saw what had drawn his attention, what had him tilting his head back. Her gaze followed his, sliding over the bare feet and up legs that were encased in a red cloth material. Up and up, over his hard stomach, his chest. His face. His eyes were closed but she didn't need to see his eyes to know he was a demon. The aura around him suggested it. She took in the silky strands of silver white hair that blew in the wind and the small dog ears that rested atop his head. And the long arrow that protruded from his shoulder.

Shippo climbed up the muscled body, coming to rest leaning over his shoulder. "You think he's dead?"

She shook her head though the look on her face was that of confusion. "No…he's alive. I think." His face was that of a sculpted angel. She couldn't remember ever seeing someone so beautiful. Why would someone put a subjugation sleeping spell on him? She touched the tips of her fingers to the arrow and when she felt the light pulse of energy she knew she was right. But why would someone bind a demon—she glanced at his ears and touched her fingers to his face and corrected herself—half demon; to a tree. He was handsome. Sweet.

"How do you know he's not dead? I don't feel a pulse."

"It's a spell, Shippo."

"What kind of spell?"

"Be quiet, Shippo." She frowned and placed her foot on one of the thick tree roots so she could get a closer look. A closer feel. She touched his cheek again but the sinister feeling she felt didn't come from him. Her hand drifted down, her fingertips tracing a path down his chest to graze the arrow. Not that, either. What then? The feeling of danger loomed and as she glanced around, she swore she could feel eyes on them. She wanted away from this small enclosure. The thick, tall bushes and the thorn bushes were eerie. But she couldn't leave him here. She grasped the arrow in her hand and summoned the energy inside her body, felt its answering pulse. She threw all the energy into the arrow and before her eyes the arrow fizzled into nothing. The moment the arrow was gone she realized the sinister feeling. Her gaze jerked to the bushes.

Demon Forest. Certain parts of this forest were _alive._

"Shippo, _leave!"_ She cried out as the bushes rose from the ground. She barely even saw them. They were thick and heavy. Then she was slammed against the hard, warm male body as the slithering bushes crashed in against her back. She gasped as they constricted her body against his. She concentrated against the painful constriction and blasted a wave of energy from her body. Through the roaring in her eyes she faintly heard the male flesh beneath her hands sizzle from the power she had let loose, before the sound faded, his skin slowly healing. For a moment she could breathe again and then without warning the forest life was crushing up against her again, forcing her tighter against the male body.

She felt a deep vibration against her chest, almost a purr, before she realized it was a chuckle. Her head jerked up and her ribs protested the movement as the bushes and veins buckled tighter around her body.

"Well, well...It's been a long time since I've felt a female body against my own…have to admit, I like it..." The voice was deep and low, husky. She glanced up and amber eyes met her own.

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><p><strong>I know the 'bush demons' was a little cliché but I liked the idea of how it brought her body crashing up against his…hope you all liked it, too! Please review! If you have any ideas's you would like me to—possibly—add in the next chapter, please do tell! I can't promise but I appreciate everyone's imagination!<strong>


	2. Chapter 2

"_Well, well...It's been a long time since I've felt a female body against my own…I like it…"_

Kagome gasped, her ribs protesting the sharp twisting movements against her back as the veins and bushes wrapped tighter, trying to constrict her body. Oh God.

If she died, the world would be no more. Sesshomaru couldn't control the Jewel on his own.

She cried out, arching her back as one of the thorned bushes cut clear through the back of her kimono. That deep chuckle sounded again, the look in those amber eyes mocking—and amused. "While I like hearing you cry out, I'd prefer you do so in pleasure. Now—"

No matter how outrageously insane he was, the look in those amber eyes was deadly. She couldn't move. Her hands were pinned against his chest.

"—what have we here? Forest demons?" He snorted. "Pathetic." He cast another look towards her, those sinful lips of his smirking.

_Sinful lips? What the hell was she thinking?_

"Hang on. This might get rough." Oh God, he had the audacity to wink at her. What the hell was wrong with him? This forest of green was close to constricting the hell out of them and—One of his hands swept up—_how had he freed his hands?—_and he gripped her chin and tilted her head back. Her eyes flared wide as he slammed his lips over hers, kissing her hard and fast. He released her as abruptly as he had caught her chin and focused on the greenery.

One clawed hand gripped the thick vines curling around her back and with one short swipe she felt the constricting tide against her back released. Her knees buckled and she collapsed at his feet, falling against his legs. That deep resounding chuckle came again, this time wickedly amused.

"You could have picked a better time to be on your knees but by all means…I won't stop you…"

She stared up at him, the wind blowing that silky silvery white mane of his every which way. The meaning of his words sank in and she lurched back. Who the hell was he? His hand snaked out, curling around her wrist. He jerked her back against his body. His hand slid down her back, spreading wide and keeping her flush against him. "Watch it." He warned softly, not once looking down at her as he spoke. She had come dangerous close to being sucked into that Thorn of Bushes when she had made that dangerous move. Stupid woman.

He was tall. Her head barely reached his shoulders and she had to tilt her head back to look up at him. The look on his face was gleeful, as if he were highly amused—very obviously enjoying himself. He was easily dodging attacks that were thrown their way but not by moving. He was blocking them with his hands and arms and as she watched, he withdrew a thin sword that transformed into a massive demon one. He slammed the tip of the blade into the ground, blocking a heavy blow. Her mind kicked into gear then.

She'd had enough.

"Let me go." She braced her hands against the tense muscles of his chest and pushed but he didn't budge an inch. He glanced down at her and those mesmerizing amber eyes met hers again.

"Sorry, _csitri, _but I'd rather not have your death on my conscious."

She'd had enough. She could put a stop to this now. It was dangerous but she was tired of this little game between him and the Forest. "Let me go." She warned softly. He chuckled again and tightened his hold on her and swung his sword in a wide arc, cutting off heavy, writhing vines. Her eyes narrowed and she spread her hands wide over his chest. She gathered the swirling energy that was pooled in the center of her body and sent it outward. Bright light pulsed in her hands—against his chest. She heard him curse, heard the skin where her hands met sizzle as smoke rose up. He released her as suddenly as he had surrounded her.

"Shit."

She brought her hands to her chest and spread them inches apart. Slowly, a small aura of pink light flowed. "Enough." Her eyes narrowed and without warning she slammed her hands out. The aura exploded and flew outward, encasing the writhing plant life. She swore she heard the demon plants scream in her mind, writhing in agony from the power of the Jewel. Slowly, her features saddened as the light faded and she saw the burnt remains of the forest life that had surrounded them. It wasn't vast but she hated seeing the greenery turned into something ugly—so dead.

"That wasn't very nice."

She stiffened and turned towards the sound of his voice.

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><p>It hadn't been very nice at all. It had hurt like a mother fucker. She had seared his chest with her hands. He glanced down to his quickly healing flesh and all that was left of her defensive attack was two small hand prints. She was a Priestess. From what he had just witnessed, she was a very powerful Priestess. And a very, very beautiful one.<p>

By all that was unholy, he wanted to run his hands through her silky black hair, see if it was as soft as it looked. He remembered the moment he had woken. He had felt the constricting agony around his body but more than that, he had heard her cry echoing in his mind. He had felt the soft contours of her body against his own. It didn't matter that he had woken to a life or death situation, he was a man and to top that, he was a demon—well, half—and no matter the demon, they had high sex drives. They weren't like humans and their pitiful desires. No, their lust was all consuming. He'd be damned if he had been able to keep his remarks to himself.

"I told you to let me go."

"Yeah." He took a step towards her and stopped when she withdraw her bow and arrow. He arched an eyebrow. As if.

Narrowing her eyes at the arrogance on his face, Kagome pursed her lips. Maybe he had been sealed to that tree for his arrogance. She was tempted to do him a favor and put him back.

"I highly doubt you're going to do much damage with that." Who was she, this mysterious black haired angel? He could feel the vibe of power rolling off her in waves but he had the feeling it wasn't intentional.

Her brows furrowed and then she glanced down at her hands. The wire along the front of the bow was snapped in two which would, all in all, render the bow useless. She dropped the useless weapons. She didn't need them. She was a weapon.

"You saved my life when you took the arrow out. I saved your life afterwards, _Csitri'." _

Those golden eyes of his were unreadable. She wasn't used to that. She frowned. "What?"

Trying to play stupid now, eh? He chuckled. She wasn't going to get off that easy. She was far from stupid. "You heard me."

"No. What does _csitri _mean?"

"Little slip of a thing. Now—" He took a step towards her but stopped when she held out a hand. That small hand of hers had seared his flesh. Very, very naughty…He liked the thought of her being naughty. He liked it even more when he thought of being naughty with her. He crooked his finger at her. His eyes glistened when she stared at his finger dubiously. "—come here. We need to even out the score." He grinned, showing off white teeth.

Had he actually crooked his finger at her? Cocky bastard. She slowly lifted her gaze back up to his. She had never met anyone like him before. So full of himself. She frowned again. "No."

"No?"

"Did I stutter?" No, she hadn't. He hadn't heard her wrong. Enlightenment filled her eyes. He wasn't used to being told no, was he?

"Well, I can always come to you. I'm always for keeping things fair." The lie rolled off his tongue easily. When had he ever played fair? Looking at her now, hearing their playful bantering, he knew he wasn't going to play fair. He couldn't explain what it was about this Priestess. One look down at her upturned face and he _lusted_ after her. She was beautiful. She was courageous. She was forceful. She _thought_ she was in control.

She was dangerous.

He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "No then…I could always kill you."

"You wouldn't get far."

How presumptuous of her. So confident—for a human Priestess. "You think so?" She nodded and he couldn't help but chuckle again. God, she was beautiful. She thought very highly of herself when facing a demon. Why—what made her powers so different? He really didn't care. In fact, he didn't give a damn. He sighed dramatically. "Since I can't kill you, _csitri, _tell me your name?"

"Stop calling me that." She was not his little slip of a girl or anything for that matter.

"I have to call you something." Again, that smirk of his.

She sighed. "Kagome—"

He launched himself at her the moment the words left her mouth. His hand spanned the length of her throat, cupping the column while his other speared into her hair. "Well, Kagome—" He tested her name, his eyes nearly closing at the sweet, intoxicating smell of her in such close proximity. "—if you were going to kill me, I would be purified right now, wouldn't I?" He whispered just before he jerked her head back, tilting her chin up. His lips slammed against hers. He didn't give her time to react but he felt her hands spreading over his bare chest. She wasn't responding but she was shocked—he was still alive. He thrust his tongue past her lips and almost groaned at the heated, honeyed taste.

He jerked his lips back—inches—when he felt a warm burning sensation on his chest. He laughed low, the sound deep. "Bitch." He teased softly, enjoying—amused—at the fire that entered her eyes. He pulled back and released her slowly. The woman set his blood to boiling…He smiled slowly and leaned forward again. He kissed each eyelid closed.

When she opened them again, he was gone.

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><p>Who was he? Kagome pressed her hand against her pounding heart as she walked through the corridor, trying to still the heavy tempo. She hadn't even gotten his name.<p>

'_I don't want to know his name.'_

She should have purified him the moment he had made the first suggestive comment. Dammit. She glanced up as she passed a window, saw the full moon high in the sky. Where was he?

'_I do not want to know where he is. I do not.'_

She winced at the thoughts in her head and then closed her eyes. The Full Moon. One more night. _It_ was mandatory. She followed the stairwell up and didn't stop until she came upon a set of double wide doors. She pushed them open and past the sheer curtains she could see Sesshomaru standing on the balcony. He was waiting. She closed her eyes. The Prophecy. Again and again…

She turned towards the pristine and held her hands inches apart from her bosom. She took a deep breath and closed her mind off from everything else around her. She could feel the energy circling in her hands again. The white aura calling to her, calling to the Jewel. The energy was warm, caressing her hands. She circled the aura with her hands, channeling her energy into it—purifying it. Again. She had to. Each night. The world would never be free of evil so the Jewel would forever have to be purified.

She would never be free.

She opened her eyes slowly and stared at the swirling colors as the white slowly started to turn a vibrant pink, the power slowly purifying in between her palms.

'_Csitri…'_

The light burned her palms, flaring bright before it faded back into her hands, as if nothing had happened. The Jewel was purified but that flash of light shouldn't have happened. Not when she thought of _him. _

The Jewel was purified and Sesshomaru was waiting for her. As she climbed onto the big four-bolstered bed and spread out on her back, she closed her eyes as he crawled atop her body. She kept her eyes closed as he thrust into her body and rocked her gently against the sheets with his thrusts until he came—with that, she could feel the warm vibration of the Jewels power inside her, letting her know it was safe. Anything—she would do anything—to keep the Prophecy safe, to keep the Jewel safe.

This was the only way.

'_Csitri…' _She remembered the sound of his voice when he had said it. For a moment she couldn't feel the throb of power inside her body. Just as quickly it was back, as if nothing had happened.

Something was wrong. But what? Why?

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><p><strong>Review, review, review! I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. It was actually a little hard to write. I knew how I wanted it to end but I was having a hard time getting up to that point. If you have any questions, just let me know. Feel free to give me idea's for the next chapter. Anything anyone would like to see in the next chapter...? :]<strong>


	3. Chapter 3

_She of light must remain true or the Jewel will lose its hue. Strength is not bound by these rules but only by light. When light loses what she thought, the Prophecy will take its toll…_

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><p>Sesshomaru stared down at the Wind Demon, his hands clenched in her thick hair as her head bobbed up and down on his rigid cock. His face was expressionless and if one didn't <em>know<em> him, they would think he was unaffected by what she was doing. But the look in his golden eyes was burning and the small telltale thrust of his hips every few minutes spoke differently. This was woman was one of many that would have suited him. She wasn't fragile. She wasn't sweet and innocent. She was a demon. This demon, he should have taken to mate. No matter how much he thought of the idea—no matter how much she had begged otherwise—he would not let their world go to ruins. He was a great demon Lord and he was not a careless one. And this female demon, just because he was already mated didn't mean he couldn't take her.

He wasn't bound by the ties of the Jewel to remain true. Kagome, however, was. She was The One who had been born with the Jewel. The Jewel had chosen her and even though they were mated to keep the Jewel from unleashing hell on earth, she had to remain true to her mate. Or the powers of the Jewel would break. Unless she was mated again and there was no one other than he that could mate her.

He brought his mind back to the much pleasant matters at hand. "Deeper, Kagura." He murmured. She chuckled at his soft spoken command. The sound vibrated all the way down his dick into his balls and he hissed at the sensation. He fisted his hands in her hair and gave a warning thrust of his hips that forced more of his cock into her mouth. Her hand moved over the base, squeezing and sliding up and down as her tongue stroked over the tip. He growled at her teasing and shifted one hand up, curling his fingers into the crown of her hair. He jerked the hand that was stroking his cock out of the way and pushed her head deeper onto him. His eyes slid half closed as he felt her throat close around him, felt her throat convulse as she gagged. "Breath." That was what he needed…

Her throat was tight and he pulled his hips back before thrusting forward again slowly. Without her hand blocking the base he could go as deep as he wanted. He didn't go fast; he thrust slow, keeping himself from coming. He just liked the feel of her mouth. He thrust twice more, pushing past the tight confines of her throat before he withdrew his cock from her mouth. He opened his eyes; saw the glazed look of lust in her eyes, her swollen, glistening mouth. He pushed her back on the bed, his hands sliding over her body, moving up her sides. He didn't tease her with his hands, cupping her breast the way he knew she wanted. Instead as he slowly moved up body from her feet and up, he let the thick length of his cock drag up her body. Her skin was soft, sliding over his skin as he dragged his dick over her stomach and then her ribcage and then between her breasts. He stopped at her lips, straddling her shoulders. He was tempted to take her mouth again but he had other plans. He chuckled and moved back down, settling his body over hers. He bit nibbled her chin with his teeth and felt her arms slide over his shoulders. Suddenly, he was on his back and she was straddling him.

Their dominant wills clashed but that was two demons for you. Both strong willed and dangerous—she just didn't know that he was the stronger. "Next time you come…" She purred the words out, her hands spreading wide over his chest as she caressed the muscles there. "…don't come to me smelling of _her._"

He arched an eyebrow. Jealous? He cupped her thighs and squeezed before sliding his hands up her sides. "She's my mate, Kagura. You will respect that." His voice brooked no argument.

She rocked her hips back and forth over him, sliding the hot, wet core of her body over his cock. "You're not acting much like a mate right now…"

"Kagura…" He warned softly.

"We can handle any demon that comes, Sesshomaru…"

His eyes narrowed before he grasped her hips and thrust up into her body. He growled as her snug body wrapped around his, sucking his deeper inside. Kagura didn't understand—not fully. They couldn't withstand the end of the world. He would not break the Prophecy by making Kagura his mate. Dear Kagura couldn't think when he fucked her so fuck her he did. He tightened his hold on her hips and started bucking up into her.

He didn't have to be gentle with her. Because he wanted her, it made a big difference. He may want Kagome but not in the way he did Kagura.

He growled, the sound vicious as he pounded up into her body, jerking her down to meet each thrust. Her bed shuddered from the force, no matter that the headboard was attached to the wall. He watched as her head fell back, her breast bouncing up and down from the force and those sweet moans rising from her lips. His lips pulled back from his teeth in a silent snarl, revealing those small, wicked canines as he pumped up, his balls drawing up tight. He wasn't going to cum though, not yet. It would take more than just a few minutes to have him cumming.

"Move." He snarled the word out, his claws digging into her hips. She didn't need to be told twice. Her hips started rising and falling, engulfing the thick, heavy length of his cock over and over again. He dropped his head back against the pillows, his hips punching up to meet each downward stroke. His sweet Wind Demon met him thrust for thrust. He tugged her down on top of him so that she was draped over him. He cupped her ass and started moving her back and forth over him, grinding his groin up against her clit. He felt her shudder and heard her moan as he started thrusting up between each grind, his hips rising and falling off the bed. He wasn't gentle either. He could hear the slap of his flesh against hers in the quiet room, heard their harsh, combined breaths. He rubbed her hips back and forth over his hard—thrust—repeating the movement.

He growled again and thrust up hard and held there, his heels digging into the bed, keeping her hips posed up. He still didn't cum though; it just felt so good that he wanted to savor the pleasure thrumming through his veins. And to keep her suspended, the pleasure at bay. "Not yet, you don't." He whispered into her ear. No, he wasn't going to let her cum yet. He dug his heels further into the silken sheets and then rocked his hips slowly. "Now move. Just like this." Just like this, with his hips arched off the bed. He could hold her up like that; he was more than strong enough. His eyes glistened as she started moving again, rising and falling, her chest heaving as she struggled to breath. She fell against him again, nuzzling the place where his shoulder and neck met. She kissed him and he felt her tongue slide over the spot in a teasing caress, felt her warm breath, her mouth opening, the graze of her teeth—

Sesshomaru roared and threw her off him so that she landed beside him, bouncing softly. He turned on her and was crouched over her body in an instant. He circled her throat with his hand and squeezed. Just a warning. "Don't you ever try that again." He whispered, his voice soft. Deadly. No matter the anger swirling in him, the lust was still in his eyes. His cock was still hard, throbbing against his thigh where it rested and glistening with her juices. "If you ever try to mark me again, I will kill you. You're not my mate. I will do it." He gave her throat a warning squeeze, cutting off her airway. He saw the flicker of fear in her eyes—and desire.

She had tried to mark him, to leave her mating mark. That would have broken the Prophecy because he knew Kagura would never take back the mark once giving it to him. "Do you understand me?" He whispered. When she nodded he released her slowly—and slid his hand down. The tips of his fingers trailed down, leaving a burn trail of fire across her skin. He smiled, knowing that touch was killing her because she wanted to cum so bad. His fingers trailed over her breast and then he cupped the heavy weight and gave it a squeeze before releasing her. He rose to his knees. "Get on your hands and knees."

Something flickered in her eyes and when all she did was stare up at him he repeated it in a curt command. "Get on your hands and knees. Now." He watched as she rolled over and then pushed herself up onto her hands and knees. She didn't look at him though. She might find pleasure in everything he did to her but she didn't like being taken in this position. She might scream in pleasure, but she didn't like it. This position was too submissive. And this was her punishment. He rose up behind her and caressed the cheeks of her behind, squeezing before he grasped her hips and adjusted the tip of his cock before thrusting home. He pulled his hips back and thrust back in. And started thrusting. He wasn't going to stop this time. Not until they both came.

He pounded into her, his hips slapping against her ass, his balls slapping against the hot core stretched so tightly around him. He growled and started yanking her back into his thrust, loving how she had no control in his position. She was close, he could feel the way her body tensed and when she came, her body rippling around his, sucking tight, he kept thrusting. He could go on for hours but they both knew he didn't have the time. With a roar that vibrated the pictures on the wall, he came. He jerked out of her body, his seed spewing out onto her back.

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><p>"Did you kill him?"<p>

Kagome glanced down at Shippo's tiny form. She turned back towards the sutra that she was delicately painting a spell on. She dipped the edge of the brush into the black paint and engraved a spell onto the white sheet. "No."

"Where is he?"

"I don't know."

"Did you get his name?"

"No."

"Did he tell you what—"

"Shippo." Kagome closed her eyes and inhaled. "I don't know anything about him other than he's too arrogant for his own good and he's gone. I don't know where he is and I don't care."

"You so sure about that, _csitri_?"

The mockingly amused familiar voice came from behind her and she spun around, her eyes meeting laughing golden ones.

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><p><strong>REVIEW! I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. Cliff hanger, huh? Chapter 4 is almost done! Trying to bring in most, if not all, the characters in the next couple of chapters.<strong>


	4. Chapter 4

Inuyasha had always been a sucker for brunettes. They were a weakness. Well, any female was his weakness. He was quite the charmer if he did say so himself. But her, there was something about her. She was beautiful and headstrong. She was the first woman he had met that had ever talked back to him. She told him…no. Damn if that wasn't hot. She hadn't backed down from him. There was something about her…something…

Her skin was soft. Her eyes were like black obsidian and her hair; he wanted to run his fingers through it, see it spread over his chest. Something about her drew him…

He tossed the red apple up in the air over and over, watching the two talk. Kagome and that little runt that she called Shippo. It had been a week since he'd last seen her but in that small time frame, he hadn't stopped thinking about her. Kagome…He heard her chuckle and the sound went straight to his cock. His blood warmed as he felt the sudden tightness in his pants. No woman had ever affected him as she was. Why? She was certainly the first to tell him no. Would she tell him no in everything? He grinned at the thought. Yes.

The small fuzzy ears atop his head flickered as their conversation reached him. _"…anything about him other than he's too arrogant for his own good and he's gone. I don't know where he is and I don't care."_

Really now? He had to admit, that hurt his pride a little. She didn't care? That wasn't fair, considering he cared a lot if she thought about him or not. He made a small 'tsking' sound with his tongue. Not fair at all. Kagome didn't play fair but that was another thing that he found he liked about her. Because he didn't play by the rules either. He tossed the barely eaten apple behind him, forgotten and launched himself from the tree. He landed behind her silently.

"You so sure about that, _csitri_?"

She spun around in her chair so fast that the wooden frame tipped. He burst out laughing and moved fast; catching the left front foot of the chair and tipping it back to the ground. He had never seen a woman move so fast. He was behind and then in front of her, keeping the chair steady and her head was whipping around to catch sight of him. He braced his hands on the armrests, effectively trapping her into the chair as he leaned over her. He arched an eyebrow at her shocked expression.

_Oh my God._ She breathed in her mind, her hand braced over her racing heart. Where had he come from? She should have sensed him. He was a demon. "How did you—where did you come from?"

He cocked an eyebrow at her again. "I'm pretty sure I came from my father."

Her eyes flared wide at his response, at the indecent humor that seemed to be ingrained on him. "That's not…."

"Maybe you should be more specific." He chuckled. God, he loved getting a rise out of her. The rosy hue that it brought to her cheeks was adorable. He tapped his clawed forefinger against the arm rest, his grin never fading. How much of a rise would he get out of her if he leaned in and kissed her?

Her eyes narrowed. How had he gotten into the Western Lands—around them, that is—without Sesshomaru knowing? He wasn't fond of other demons, much less male ones. Mainly because the demons knew that to control the power of the Jewel, they would have to Mate her. They just didn't realize that only a few select demons had been chosen by destiny and Sesshomaru had already made his claim.

"If you lean any further back, you're going to end up breaking the back of the chair."

Startled, she glanced up at him, brought out of the depth of her thoughts. "Then move."

"No."

She blinked. "What?"

His lips curved into that wicked smile of his and a devilish glint entered his eyes. "Did I stutter?" He mimicked the words she had said to him a week ago. God, when was the last time he'd bantered like this? Never. He was thoroughly enjoying this. Hell, he wondered if he could get off from this.

The bastard…who did he think he was? She lifted her hand but he caught it halfway to his chest, curling his fingers around her slender wrist. He leaned in close, so close that she could smell the scent of the forest…and him. His breath washed over her ear and she jumped as he bit her earlobe teasingly. "If you want to touch me I can think of a much better place than my chest."

She gasped, shock and outrage filtering across her features. _Who was he? So thoroughly caught on himself—and so wicked. _She opened her mouth but thought better of it. He was going to move. She flexed her fingers and power flared up, sizzling through her arm. The hand that circled her wrist released her suddenly.

He cursed and then laughed softly, staring at his hand. How had the beautiful little wench done that? She hadn't even touched him with her hand? He glanced down at her as she stood up and moved to the side—clearly away from him. "Impressive, _csitri_, but what else can you show me?" He winked and saw her mouth drop open.

Pervert! My God! "I should have left you bound to that tree."

He chuckled. "Really? It would still work with me bound, I suppose. All you'd have to do is pull down my pants and then you turn around and bend over—" She clamped her hand over his mouth, halting his tirade. "You—you…He's just a child!" She whispered just as he felt a light weight drop onto his head. A small boy, a fox demon he presumed, bent over his head and small beady eyes met his. His eyes narrowed at the intrusion and he reached up and picked up the little demon by his tail.

"—_o owaay." _The words came out inaudible, garbled against her hand. He glared at the fox demon in his hand and then licked the palm that covered his mouth. Just like that, the hand was jerked away. He directed his attention back to the fox demon. "Go away." Inuyasha tossed the boy over his shoulder without looking and then growled when he felt the familiar weight land on his right shoulder.

"You two know each other?"

"No, Shippo, we don't." Kagome snatched Shippo off his shoulder and the little boy climbed up her arms to rest behind her neck.

"You sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure."

"We _could_ get to _know_ each other." Inuyasha suggested.

Kagome gasped at his outrageous comment. He had no shame! She was already mated!

He waggled his eyebrows, loving the blush that rose to her cheeks each time. "It wouldn't hurt." In fact, it would be the complete opposite. He'd have her screaming in his arms, rising over as her thrust over and over…then he'd bend her over before rolling onto his back and letting her take him and then lifting her legs over his shoulders…

It would hurt a lot. One slip on her part and the Prophecy would slip. She was mated to Sesshomaru—she couldn't take others like he could—not without having the power of the Jewel weaken until the Prophecy took a dangerous turn. And she wouldn't betray Sesshomaru like that. She didn't love him but she was mated to him.

_Mates were for life. They wanted no one else. _

Obviously, the Prophecy of _that_ was wrong. She wasn't naïve. Sesshomaru had proven that many times with Kagura.

She took a step to the left and he mirrored her movement. She should have felt threatened but she wasn't—not in the way that she should have been. He wouldn't hurt her, no, that wasn't what she was threatened by. He was threatening what little virtue she had left. She lifted her hand, pointing a finger in his direction. "Stay."

He snorted. "I'm not a dog."

"Then stop acting like one."

He stumbled back as something slammed into his chest. He glanced down, shocked—only to see a sutra, A FUCKING SMALL PIECE OF PAPER, pressed against the front of his chest. When had she thrown that? He glanced up, his lips twitching with amusement. Damn her sexy hide. He couldn't move. He felt her rush by him and smelled the sweet scent that was all her. That damn sutra was strong. He swore it had felt like a boulder slamming against him.

He was looking forward to the next time he ran across her. The Western Lands were vast but there were only so many people—and demons. It was only a matter of time before they saw each other again.

* * *

><p>"He looks kind of like Lord Sesshomaru."<p>

Kagome frowned as she ran as fast as her legs would carry her. It wasn't until Shippo mentioned it that she realized it. The resemblance between the two men. She saw Sesshomaru in her mind, long white hair flowing, those golden eyes staring at her…and saw Inuyasha. The resemblance was uncanny. She couldn't imagine the two being related. Sesshomaru was a cold and quiet. She rarely saw him smile. He was a cold, harsh man but he would never hurt her. He certainly would look at her and grin. He would never talk to her in such a crude manner. The two men were as different as night and day.

"No, he does not, Shippo." She refused to think of the two related. Sesshomaru would have killed the cocky bastard centuries ago.

She was still fuming over his outrageous behavior when she came to a small hut. She grasped the door handle and swung the door wide. And stopped dead at what she saw—something she had _never _wanted to—and hoped to God she never did again. Her eyes dropped to Miroku's bare pumping ass and moved up to the sight of Sango's legs thrown over his arms as he kept her pinned against the wall…She slammed the door shut, the expression on her face one of pain. "I'll just wait till you're done!" She called through the closed door, not that she had much of a choice. That scene was going to be forever burned into her mind.

"What were they—"

"Nothing, Shippo. Nothing. Pretend you didn't see it." She was not in the mood and really—really—did not want to explain to Shippo what he had just seen. She heard a faint ruffling sound come from the closed door and then it was swung open. Miroku braced one hand against the door frame while he stared down at her. At least he was wearing pants this time.

"You always did have bad timing, Kagome."

"Be quiet, Miroku." Sango pushed past her husband and smiled. She tied the sash at her waist to keep the robe closed as she enveloped Kagome in a hug. "I didn't know you were going to stop by today."

Kagome lifted her hand, showing a series of different sutras. "Remember?" She almost pulled back when Sango hugged her but she refrained. Having her best friend hug her when she'd just seen her pinned against the wall—knowing what she had been doing and would probably do when she left—was, needless to say, awkward.

"Ah…yes. Sorry." Sango pulled the door wide in welcome and stomped her foot down on Miroku's when she heard the beginning of a sigh. He could wait.

An hour later after having helped Sango separate the sutras she dropped into one of the tall backed chairs and glanced up at Miroku. "Ah, Miroku?"

"Yes?"

"In all the scrolls that you've read, prophecy's or just the scrolls themselves, have you come across anything that mentions a man being bound to a tree by a subjugation spell?"

_I don't care, so why am I asking? _

Curiosity maybe? It had to be in the scrolls. The spell that had been cast on the arrow had been old. Very, very old. It had held strong through the years though, keeping _him_ bound to the tree. Until she had removed it.

"Not that I can remember. Why?"

"Ah…nothing."

She sighed and then glanced up, startled as Sango wrapped her arm around her, hugging her close. Miroku left the room without a word, as if he knew the two didn't want him there. Or Sango had sent him "the" look. "Kagome, it will be alright. I promise. Just give him time."

It took her a moment to realize what Sango was talking about. She was talking about Sesshomaru. Kagome sighed and closed her eyes. She had confided in Sango the difference between her relationship and theirs. She saw the way Miroku looked at Sango. The love and the tenderness, the brief embraces just to feel their arms around each other. She had always thought a Mate would be like that…Sesshomaru didn't look at her like that. He didn't whisper in her ear. He didn't make her blush. She had always imagined her mate would do—be—all those things and more but somehow…

She felt empty.

Sesshomaru was her mate. Those things would come in time.

Still, his eyes amber eyes never looked at her with that wicked, sexy look in his eyes. He never purposefully made her angry…

_Oh God, I'm comparing Sesshomaru to __Him!_

She groaned and dropped her head against Sango's shoulder. She was losing her mind.

* * *

><p>Kagome stared at Sesshomaru's broad back as she purified the crystal. The energy pulsed in her body, gathering between her spread hands—the power that connected the two of them. They both felt the swirling energy move in their body every time she purified it, felt the heat move through as it settled. The energy purified slowly. Slower than usual. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, wiping her mind clear of any distractions. Clearing the memory of amused, sensual amber eyes from her mind, a deep sexy voice…<p>

_Stop._ She cleared her mind into a blank slate and sent all her power into the swirling energy, purifying the mass of energy. When she could feel the pulse inside her body she turned towards the balcony doors. "Sesshomaru?"

"Yes?"

"Do you have any family?"

He was quiet for a moment and if she hadn't known he had superb hearing, she would have thought he hadn't heard her. He didn't as much as move a muscle when he spoke. "You."

That wasn't what she had meant. She was his Mate—she was his family. But he had to have siblings? She knew his father was dead and his mother, she knew nothing of her. "No." She stood up and walked past the crystalized door leading onto the balcony. "No, I meant…"

"Don't dawdle, Kagome. What is it?" His voice was cool and calm—as always.

"Do you have other family? Siblings?"

"None that I claim."

"Sesshomaru…"

He sighed. "What is it, Kagome?"

"Do you?" She insisted softly. _'None that I claim'._ Could _he_ be…?

"I no doubt have many. My Father was not very subtle in his ways." Meaning, he had become careless.

'_I no doubt have many.'_ Then it was possible…She opened her lips but shut them soon afterward. She couldn't keep quizzing him with questions. Sesshomaru was no fool. He would want to know why…

'_I don't want to know about him.'_

* * *

><p><strong>Review! Is there anything special ya'll would like to see in the next few chapters? Besides a sex scene between Inuyasha and Kagome that is. :] Not just yet…not just yet…<strong>


	5. Chapter 5

How he had managed to forget, Inuyasha would never know. His body had been feeling restless all day, his skin itching. Something wasn't right. It wasn't until night had fallen that he'd felt it. A heavy vibration had rocked his entire body, throbbing through every muscle. He had watched in disbelief as his claws shortened and—

"Shit." He had whispered when his hair had turned pitch black. "Dammit. Fuck."

He was human. He'd forgotten all about this damned cursed night. If there was one thing he hated about himself—and that was rare—it was this. No matter. That wouldn't stop him from his little 'family reunion'.

He grinned at the thought. Family reunion his ass.

* * *

><p>Kagome stared at the glow of power between her hands, the rush of energy that filled her body as she purified the Jewel. It was warm, a soft caress against her hands as she moved them over the ball of light, containing the power. She sighed as she felt the emitting energy slowly seep back into their bodies.<p>

She relished the freedom that came on a night like this. The Prophecy allowed her a small reprieve from Sesshomaru. The Prophecy, at least, gave her that small amount of freedom. She shouldn't look forward to the reprieve. He was her Mate. She shouldn't…She didn't have to lie there and wait till the deed was done. Deed? Sango certainly didn't think of it as a deed. She gladly participated with Miroku and had told her countless stories…Kagome closed her eyes with a soft groan. Dear God, when had she become so obsessed with sex?

She honestly didn't care. Not everyone was as lucky as Sango to have found someone so much like herself.

And not everyone was as lucky as to have a part in the destiny of the Prophecy.

She rubbed her temples at the wary thoughts. She had never doubted the Prophecy. But somehow…it didn't seem fair. She envied Sango.

'_No, I don't.' _She thought to herself softly.

Everyone had their own destinies. Not everyone was chosen by Destiny as a keeper of such power. She had been that person—and in that, she was lucky in her own way. She rolled her shoulders. She was tense. When had she become so tense? She turned away from the pristine table and walked out on the balcony again. He was always out on the balcony, the wind blowing softly through his hair.

But…she had a few things to discuss with him. "Sesshomaru?"

"Yes?"

"Sango came by today." She murmured.

"Yes."

He really needed to get over his differences where humans were concerned. She had watched as Sango walked across the lawn with Jaken fumbling behind her. Sesshomaru didn't want humans at his home, did he? Humans weren't allowed, were they? Jaken was so eager to please his master. Damn toad. It seemed that they had both forgotten that she was human. He seemed to know what her thoughts were though.

"Just because I've Mated with a human does not mean I must associate with the rest."

His words were so calm and cool. So unaffected. How dare he? "Your Mate is a human." She stated softly. Maybe he would get the clue. She had human friends. That wouldn't change.

"I'm very aware of the fact."

Raciest bastard. She winced at her inner thoughts. She had never harbored any thoughts but kindness and devotion towards him. When had that changed? _When?_ "I don't think you're as aware of the fact as you say you are. I am human—your mate—and I have human friends, whether you wish it or not. This is my home, too and I will not be deprived of those I call friends." Her words brooked no argument. How dare he think that she would allow this?

He sighed, his eyes closing as the soft breeze caressed his flesh. "I'll not argue over this, Kagome." They both knew they couldn't go against each other's wills. The negative energy would flow into the Jewel. She turned and then walked out the door. She paused, her back to him. "Don't do it again." She said softly before closing the door.

* * *

><p>Sesshomaru closed his eyes. Impudent woman. He cared for her, yes, but only because she was his Mate. He would always protect her because she was the keeper of the Jewel and the Jewel was a part of him now, too. Still, she thought too highly of mortals. The wind blew his again, kissing his skin. He smiled.<p>

_Kagura._ The Wind Demon.

"Hello, brother mine."

Sesshomaru tensed as he heard the familiar voice, filled with mockery and amusement. He turned and the look on his face held disdain and something akin to disgust. "You're still alive."

"…'Course I am." Inuyasha remarked dryly.

This time the look on Sesshomaru's face _was_ disgust. "You're human."

"Only until morning. Now, how about telling me where that bitch Kikyo is?"

How ironic, that after a 100 years, Inuyasha was still alive. He'd thought the bastard dead. For him to turn up _human_…He stared at the man he didn't acknowledge as family, the black hair and dark, charcoal eyes. Inuyasha was beyond pathetic in that moment. "Kikyo? I warned you about her, did I not?"

"Yeah, yeah. Whatever. Just tell me where she is."

"She died many years ago, Inuyasha. She was human, as you were well aware of. She would be well over 100 now if she was still alive."

Dammit, wasn't that a bitch? She had been a good lay and he had even fancied himself in love with her but when he had denied her offer of turning him human, she had bound him to that damn tree. He was a little disappointed by the fact that she wasn't still alive. He deserved a little revenge for the years he'd spent subdued to that tree. "So, I've heard that you've taken a Mate."

"Yes."

"Kagura? I know you always liked her. She definitely looked like she would be a good fu—"

"No." Sesshomaru muttered through clenched teeth.

"What? She sucks in bed?"

"No, Kagura is not my Mate." A muscle ticked in his jaw as he said the words. Inuyasha always pissed him off. All he had to do was say a few words and it had his control pulled tight. And Inuyasha knew it. He knew how to pull his brothers buttons.

Inuyasha coked an eyebrow at that. "She's not?"

"She's not a demon."

"Last time I recalled, Kagura was demon—"

"No. My Mate. She's not a demon."

That shut Inuyasha up. He stared at his brother, almost disbelieving. His brother Mated to a human? "You hate humans."

"Yes and I hate you."

"You've reminded me of that on different occasions, _brother_." Inuyasha drawled out the words, lingering over the last. "Why the hell did you Mate yourself to a human?"

"The Prophecy, if you will remember."

"Ah, that shit." Inuyasha snorted. He remembered the Prophecy. He and Sesshomaru had been two of the four. He just hadn't expected the Prophecy to happen anytime in his lifetime. He'd been wrong. Better Sesshomaru than him, right?

"So who's the _lucky_ Prophesier?"

Sesshomaru looked past him then, the look on his face shifting. He cursed his human body and the inability to hear to full potential. He hadn't even heard anyone approach. He turned—and froze.

"Have we…met?"

Kagome. Well, well. He hadn't expected this. He smiled but the curve died slowly at her words. He had to admit, that hurt his pride. She'd forgotten him already? He'd have reacquaint himself with her but this time, he would make sure she remembered him…The smile slipped back as the little devil on his shoulder perked up at her words. He realized why she didn't recognize him fully. He was human. Those small dog ears atop his head were gone and his hair was pitch black in contrast to the silky white it had been before. His features were the same but…

She hadn't known he was a half demon. And she sure as hell didn't know about the night where he turned human. He could use this to his advantage. "No, I don't believe we have." He held out his hand to her and when he felt her small hand drop into his. He didn't remember her hands being so small. And something so simple as a handshake had never left him so restless but at the same time…so satisfied.

What the fuck?

" 'Names Inuyasha. You?" But he already knew her name.

"Kagome. I didn't know Sesshomaru had any family."

"Ah, well, he doesn't claim me."

Her hair was damp and it took him a moment to realize that she was wearing nothing but a robe. God damn. She was naked beneath. His first thoughts regarding her came back. He wanted to take her—fuck her. He knew her reaction to him now was because he was human. She didn't recognize him completely—only enough to be confused at the odd resembled between his human side and demon. Oh yea, this could come in handy.

"Inuyasha…" She nodded towards him then turned her dark eyes towards Sesshomaru. "Goodnight." He watched as she turned and left, his eyes slowly dropping, watching her hips…He stiffened as she walked out the door, wondering what the hell she was doing here unless…

Sesshomaru saw the look on his face. "That—" He motioned towards the empty doorway. "—is my Mate."

Inuyasha didn't know where the thought came from or how he _knew. _He just did. Somehow he _knew._ He turned back to Sesshomaru, the look in his eyes confused—unreadable. "No, she's not."

* * *

><p><strong>So sorry for the long wait! This chapter was so hard to write! I knew where I wanted to go with it but it was hard to get it into words. If you don't fully understand the chapter, just let me know! I was working on this chapter all day long but my baby, who is 5 months, has just been crying almost all day the past two days. He cries when I leave his sight and he'll only calm down when I pick him up…think he's just teething which makes it hard for me to write…but I'll get back to my quick updating when I have the time. Until then, it's going to be slow. Hope you enjoyed and review!<strong>


	6. Chapter 6

Sesshomaru stared at the empty doorway with which Inuyasha had departed. He scoffed at their recent departing conversation.

"_No, she's not."_

So very like Inuyasha to state what was on his mind, no matter how idiotic it was. Why would Inuyasha think something so ludacris?

"_The mark on her shoulder states otherwise."_

"_Yes, but that doesn't…"_ Inuyasha had finally shut his mouth. Otherwise, he probably would have been thrown out on his ass. He would have no one, not even his own blood, denounce his claim on his Mate. Still, the mark on her shoulder was all the world needed to see that she was indeed his Mate. You couldn't be Mated to someone who wasn't your biological Mate. The chemistry, the chararestics had to be there.

It wasn't until Inuyasha left that Sesshomaru stepped out onto the balcony. It was seconds before the wind caressed his skin and he admitted to the inevitable. Kagome was not his Mate—not in the manner that most demons would assume their Mates to be. But the claim had been successful.

Why then, could he take another lover with no rebounds?

Kagome was his. She was his Mate and he could allow no other. Not Inuyasha, nor Kagura. The power of the Jewel was at stake if anything happened. Not only that, but Kagome was _his._ No matter that she was human, what was his, he would allow no one to take.

This could come in handy. Inuyasha had never been exactly fond of his human side but he hadn't hated it…but he found it highly amusing that Kagome hadn't recognized him. He liked her—no, he corrected himself. He _lusted_ her. He wanted her. She was the most beautiful and strong woman he'd ever had the chance to meet. No other woman had stood up to him as she had, much less back talked to him. He was intrigued and when that happened, he had a hard time letting go until he was satisfied with the results. The little Priestess, she stirred his blood, even in human form.

Oh yea, this human side of him could definitely come in handy. Still, there were some things that he didn't understand. His little Priestess was interested in him, whether she would admit to it or not. But she was supposedly Mated to Sesshomaru. That…he didn't understand. Her body should have protested his close embrace when he'd held her close…

And she had smelled damn good.

He just wished he'd known where she had gone. He cursed his human nose. She'd gone to take a bath. But where? He grinned suddenly. The Warm Springs!

Kagome sighed in bliss as she walked shoulder deep into the water. Springs were normally cool but this one, thank God, was always warm. She dipped beneath the water, her hair floating up like a pool of black velvet before she pushed back to the surface. She ran her hands through her wet hair and opened her eyes. The sky was clear. She swore there were millions of stars twinkling at her. She couldn't remember ever seeing the sky so clear.

She washed her body leisurely and then her hair before wading towards the bank. She picked up the fluffy white towel that Sesshomaru had had made for her and wrapped it around her body, tucking it under her arms. She leaned down to pick up her discarded clothing and a sense of not being alone came over her. She spun around, an arrow cocked on the bow between her hands. And came face to face with Inuyasha.

He lifted his hands defensively. "Don't kill me. I'm not a demon."

She didn't lower her bow. He might not be a demon but the arrow could still hurt him. "How long were you watching?"

"I wasn't. I was leaving and I happened to come by…" The lie came easily, one that he didn't feel any remorse in telling. He'd be damned if he regretted the sight of her naked body. He'd left and followed in the direction of the Springs. He wished he'd been in his half demon form because at least then he could have followed her scent. He'd thought that she would have finished bathing by the time he caught up with her but he hadn't been prepared for the sight of her back slicked with water. His mouth had gone dry at the slippery skin, the droplets of water that rolled down her back and over the ripe curve of her ass.

She wasn't as averse to his human side as she was to his demon side. Oh yes, she liked his demon side. She might not admit to it or even know it, for that matter, but the soft scent of her body changed each time he had been near her. She was off guard with his human side and that was because he wasn't his perverted demon side. He was his human perverted side. This could come in handy…

He turned away from her, instantly regretting the loss of the sight of her half naked body. "I think it would be best if you…got dressed?" That wasn't what he wanted to say. He wanted to tell her to drop the towel. To dare her. When he'd seen her backside he had been begging silently for her to turn around, to let him see…

He could hear the rustle of clothing and counted to ten silently to stop himself from turning around. "Is it safe to turn around?"

Kagome nodded and then remembered that he couldn't see her, turned around as he was. "Yes." The impact of seeing his face, so familiar to that idiotic, sadistic—obviously sex crazed pervert—unnerved her. But there was no mistaking that the man before her was not _him._ What she sensed from him was kinder…and something…else. "Sesshomaru never mentioned having a brother." They'd already had this conversation but she couldn't help herself.

"Yes, well, like I said before he doesn't claim me." He shrugged. "We don't exactly get along. If he could kill me I'd probably be dead by now." He almost snickered at the thought. What a sight it would be to see the two of them fighting to the death. Not to say it hadn't been done before, they just hadn't been able to kill each other. They were just too stubborn to die.

"You're human, no offense, but he could kill you easily." Unless it was brotherly love holding him back. With Inuyasha human, Sesshomaru could break his neck with his pinky finger. She just couldn't imagine Sesshomaru showing that much affection.

"Hmmm…" Inuyasha was glad she didn't question that further. That had been a mistake on his part. Sesshomaru could very well kill him while he was stuck in this human form for the night. He'd have to be careful…he didn't want to give away his little secret just yet…

"May I ask you something?"

He nodded, but he wasn't expecting what she asked.

"Do you have any other family? Another brother?" She paused, trying to remember something to define _him _with. "A brother, perhaps with…small fuzzy ears atop his head?"

He chuckled. My, oh my. His little wench was more interested in him than she had let on. The little bitch. From the way she had acted when she'd been in his arms, she might as well have hated him. But he knew better. He shook his head but he couldn't stop the small smile that formed on his lips. "No, Sesshomaru is the only family I have." That, at least, was the truth. "Why do you ask?"

"Oh…nothing. It's nothing." Of course he wouldn't have a demon brother. It was miraculous that he had one demon brother but two would be impossible. She knew demons and humans didn't voluntarily Mate. Sesshomaru and her, what they had was different.

"Really? The look in your eyes was a little hopeful there. Why, you like this mysterious fellow? A lover, perhaps?"

Her head snapped up. "Of course not. He's an arrogant jerk."

"Why the blush?" He grinned.

"I'm not…" She lifted her chin. "Sesshomaru is my Mate. I would never."

That silenced him but not for reasons she probably imagined. Sesshomaru and Kagome Mated. For some reason the idea didn't sit well with him. He didn't give a damn about the Prophecy. He knew that only those destined to be Mated could be Mated but the thought of them Mated just didn't…make sense.

"And what does Sesshomaru think of this mysterious stranger?" He questioned innocently. Once again he wished he was a demon again so he could fully read her expression, sense her emotions. Her silence, however, was answer enough. He barely refrained from cocking an eyebrow. He was gloating inside from what he was learning from her. "Ah. He doesn't know."

She was quiet for a moment before she shrugged. "Sesshomaru isn't fond of other males." She was surprised that he'd even let Inuyasha near her. Obviously he didn't view Inuyasha as a threat.

"Tell me something—" Inuyasha knew he shouldn't ask but he couldn't see any other way around it. If she asked a question of her own, he would find a way around it. "—about this Prophecy. I never thought Sesshomaru would Mate himself to a human. No offense to you, because you're beautiful—" He added that for her benefit. "—but I wasn't aware that demons could Mate themselves to humans…"

He knew they could definitely fuck. He was a result of that, but Mating? He'd never heard of it being done.

"I'm not just any woman. I hold the power of the Jewel."

He grinned. Of course she would come up with an excuse.

"I was chosen to protect the Jewel and the Prophecy which made my soul compatible with a demon."

Of course. That would explain why she had lived through the Mating. But he wasn't so sure that she was Sesshomaru's Mate. The doubt wouldn't ease. He shouldn't care. But he did. Why? He glanced up at the sky and noticed the fading darkness. He had a little while left before the sun was out. "Let me walk you back."

Kagome felt her lips curving upward into a smile. Whatever had made her think that he could possibly be related to that arrogant fool seemed ridiculous. He might resemble him but it was nothing more than that. She couldn't help but compare the two though. Where Inuyasha was sweet the other was arrogant. Inuyasha was polite and _he _said whatever was on his mind no matter how inappropriate. She nodded. "Thank you. I don't normally converse with a lot of people. Most of them are demons…and most of them aren't fond of Sesshomaru. I'm rather…glad for your company. Thank you."

"No problem. I'm rather enjoying your company myself, too."

Kagome ran a hand through her damp hair as he led the way. He pushed aside heavy branches, clearing the way for her. "Thank you. Why have I never seen you before?"

That was just the opening he'd been waiting for. That question, he'd been expecting—hoping—for. "I'm only this way once a month." She could take that however she wanted but she wouldn't suspect the truth behind it. He hadn't lied. He was only human once a month.

"Ah…"

"I'll be back next month. You're the only person I've met that doesn't care that I'm related to a demon so excuse me if I find myself wanting to be in your company."

She wrapped her arms around herself and smiled in the darkness. "I don't judge. But thank you. I'd be more than happy to keep your company the next time you're around."

He smiled, knowing she couldn't see. He'd be more than happy for her to keep him company naked and in his arms. "If Sesshomaru doesn't care…"

Kagome rolled her eyes. "He doesn't care." Otherwise Inuyasha wouldn't have even been allowed into his home. "I come here every night on this night." It signaled the end of her 'freedom' from Sesshomaru. This time she had for herself, at least she could control this. It was nice to have male human company. She didn't count Miroku because even though he was married to Sango, he was still a filthy pervert.

She shouldn't want to be in the male company so much but she did. She just hadn't realized how much until now. Someone she could talk to…that she could relate to…

What the hell?

"Next month then?"

He nodded and watched as she turned and walked through the heavy iron gates. He had a plan. He'd win her from both sides, his human and demon side. What he had planned, she wouldn't stand a chance. He wanted her. Oh yes, he had a plan.

Seduction.


	7. Chapter 7

"What's wrong with you, Kagome?"

Kagome threw a berry towards Shippo playfully. "Nothing. Why do you ask?"

Shippo shrugged and jumped into the air and caught the berry in his mouth in one swift move. "You just seem like you're in a good mood, that's all."

Kagome sighed, not deterred by the way the little fox demon could read her so easily. For a child he was very good at reading emotions, the expressions on people. "Those are not for you to eat. Not yet." She threw another at him, this time on purpose. She didn't expect it to hit him and she was right. He was fast and caught it directly in his mouth again. "If you want me to make your berry pie I suggest you stop eating all the berries."

She glanced up at the tree. It was a good 20 feet high. Sometimes she really hated how the trees in the Western Lands couldn't grow to a normal height. No, they had to bypass that…

"I can always climb up and do it, Kagome."

She shook her head. "I'd rather you not fall." Shippo was young and no matter that he was a demon, she still considered him a child. Hers. "I can do it." She didn't like to climb trees but she could do it. She hooked her foot against the extended base of the tree and then pulled herself up to the first branch, pulling herself two feet up from the ground. She didn't dare look down or she'd lose her nerve. Sesshomaru didn't understand why she gathered berries and fruits, why she loved to bake, when she easily had access to servants to do it for her. She could control so little in her life and in that small list of things, this was included.

She steadily climbed until she was halfway up the tree. The basket was half filled when she started her way back down. Her foot made purchase on a thick branch as a sharp gust of wind tore through the tree, whirling around her. She was jerked back cover of the branches. As she flew backwards, small sharp branches tore at her arms, one slicing over her cheek in a small line of blood. She cursed as the light of day bloomed around her suddenly and then she was falling—_falling—_to the ground. She cursed, a scream rising up at the rapid fall but just as suddenly, when she was inches from hitting the ground, she stopped in midair from the wind. It floated beneath her, twirling, keep her body afloat before it gently lowered her to the ground.

"I'd be more careful if I were you, Kagome." The voice, so soft and innocent came from behind her.

Kagome spun around, her heart pumping, the look in her eyes furious. "Indeed." But her voice lacked conviction. She had been careful and there was no doubt in her mind of that. She stared her down, meeting Kagura's eyes head on. She wiped the back of her hand across her cheek and felt the warm liquid but ignored it. She nodded her head towards the wind demon and moved to walk around her when she realized the direction of which Kagura had come from. Her home. _Her home._ Oh God, Kagome felt sick for a moment before calm rage filtered in. Kagura would only have been at the house for one thing.

"Excuse me." She said without turning around and headed in the direction of the castle. The bitch. How dare she? Kagura had never violated her home before. Sesshomaru had never _taken_ her there before…How dare she? She had always been tolerant of Sesshomaru and Kagura's silent affair but Kagura had come into her _Home_. She pushed the door open and marched up the stairs. She didn't stop till she reached the very top. Sesshomaru turned as she stepped into the room.

He opened his lips but she was there to stop him. "I will not have her here. _I will not._ How dare you?" The thought of Sesshomaru fucking Kagura _here_ infuriated her. She didn't know why but it raged at her mind. It wasn't fair. It wasn't right. She held up her hand when he tried to speak again, slashing her hand in the air as she walked to him. She rose up her on tiptoes and stared into his golden eyes. "I will not have her here in my home. I will not, Sesshomaru." She said the words softly, brooking no argument. She turned and left the room before he even had a chance to speak.

She stormed out the front doors, furious and terrified at the same time. Furious that Kagura had dared to invade her home. Kagome wouldn't have cared if Kagura hadn't been there fucking Sesshomaru while Kagome was out…Dammit. And terrified because of the sting of tears she felt.

She knew exactly why she had fallen from the tree. Kagura. Of course, the Wind Demon wouldn't have killed her. She wouldn't want to face Sesshomaru's wrath. What had she been stating in doing such a foolish stunt? She strode through the garden and came to a halt as Kagura turned the corner. She sucked in a sharp breath.

"Leave. Now."

Kagura arched an eyebrow. "Leave?"

"Yes, you heard me. Don't you dare set foot in my home again. I don't care what you and Sesshomaru do. Just not in my home. You're not to set foot in my home again." Ever. She watched as Kagura arched an eyebrow, as if she wanted to say something. Why she felt so emotional towards it she wasn't sure. She always had something on her mind. But it had never been Sesshomaru and Kagura's relationship.

"Are you jealous, Kagome?"

Her mouth dropped open at the innocent sweetness coming from Kagura's mouth. Jealous? No, she was not jealous. She was furious. "Jealous? I'll purify you where you stand, Kagura. Leave." For a moment she thought Kagura was going to say something more but she turned and left then. She was tempted to throw out one last insult. _You're jealous of what I have._ Kagome knew Kagura was. She had Sesshomaru in a way that Kagura would never have.

She strode off in the direction of the woods. "Oh God, what's wrong with me?" Her voice was soft and she could feel tears prickling behind her eyes. She felt emotionally unstable. Something that had never happened before. She drew in a shuddering breath and lifted her head. She collided with something warm and hard and then felt strong arms surround her. A deep chuckled sound from the chest she was held up against, arrogantly familiar.

How in the hell did _he_ keep finding her without Sesshomaru knowing and putting a stop to it?

She looked up into _his_ familiar startling amber eyes. The name "Inuyasha…" almost slipped out before she caught herself. No, he wasn't Inuyasha. He was all sadistic demon. She watched as the devilish grin on his face sobered and then vanished altogether.

"What's wrong?"

She should have pushed out of his arms but she didn't. "Nothing's wrong." The fact that she didn't push out of his arms was testimony to her troubles. She might not realize.

But Inuyasha did.

Inuyasha knew something was wrong the moment she walked into his arms. She should have seen him but she hadn't. He sensed the anger but more than that, tears. The fact that she didn't pull out of his arms was enough, too. Still, that wouldn't stop him from taking advantage.

He was such a bastard.

His eyes narrowed as he took in the scrapes and cuts over her arms, the cut slashing across her cheek. "What happened?" His voice came out more rough than he had intended but he couldn't help it. The thought that someone had hurt her infuriated him. He lifted his hand and slid his thumb over the cut on her cheek. "What happened?" He asked again.

She was lying. He could smell it. "Kagome…'nothing' couldn't have done this."

When had he become so persistent? Wait. He'd always been persistent. From the very moment she'd released him from the tree. "I fell from a tree." That, at least, was the truth.

"Oh God, don't cry. _Don't cry."_ Inuyasha muttered as the scent of tears became stronger. This wasn't what he'd had planned when he came to her again. He didn't know what to do when a woman cried. Hell, it hurt him probably more than it did her. But something had to be wrong—his Kagome wasn't so weak as to cry. Least of all in his presence. She supposedly didn't like him. "People don't cry because they fall out of trees." He ran his hand down her arm, careful of the scrapes there. "Just don't…cry. Please."

"I'm not crying. I don't cry." Dammit, why was she crying? She could feel the hot tears on her cheeks as she turned and pressed her cheek against his shirt front.

"Ah shit, Kagome…" No, this was far from how he had imagined seeing her again. He had planned on goading her again, stealing another kiss. But now all he could do was wrap his arms around her. Her tears lashed at him, her sniffles raking his mind. "Dammit, Kagome. Tell me what's wrong." He tightened his arms around her because hell, she was in his arms and he'd be damned if he'd let this chance slip away. She needed comfort and he was here.

"She was in my home."

"Who was in your home?"

"She was. I would have never bothered me before but I know I deserve at least that, right?"

She wasn't making any sense and he couldn't even begin to fathom what the hell she was talking about. "You deserve everything, but who are you talking about?"

"Kagura."

"Ah." Inuyasha nodded, rubbing his chin across the top of her head. Kagura was Sesshomaru's little fuck toy. But what did she have to do with things. "I'm not following you here, Kagome. Hmmm?"

"I don't care what they do, as long as she doesn't fuck him in my home."

The words hit hard. He realized then. Sesshomaru and Kagura had fucked inside Sesshomaru's home…The idiotic bastard. Why would he fuck that Wind Demon when he had Kagome? That alone was another sign that pointed out that Kagome wasn't his true Mate. But she had to be. She wouldn't be Mated to Sesshomaru unless the genetics were there.

"Ah…I understand…" He muttered. Obviously she'd caught them.

It shouldn't have bothered her but it did. A lot of things seemed to bother her lately. She felt…emotionally unsteady. But feeling _his _arms around her eased her inner turmoil. That thought caused her to stiffen. "Let me go."

Inuyasha chuckled. They'd had this conversation before. He had been waiting for her to say that because sooner or later his Kagome would release who was holding her. With a sigh he released her and she stepped back, her hands wiping at her face. "How do you keep by passing Sesshomaru?"

He blinked. Sesshomaru didn't give a damn what he did or about him. He realized what she meant then and almost cursed himself. Of course. She thought Sesshomaru wouldn't want _him_ around her, being that he was a demon male. She didn't know that he and Sesshomaru were half-brothers and that he was her human Inuyasha. "I'm not at liberty to discuss that." He winked. "Besides, you like me here." He liked the defiant look that came into her eyes. Anything to keep from seeing those tears again.

"No, I don't." He could still smell the sting of tears and he wanted nothing more than to take her in his arms. How dare Sesshomaru do this to her? He couldn't imagine Sesshomaru outright doing something to hurt her, but her tears were proof of it. He was going to do something he regretted, even if it got him closer to what he wanted. Dammit, he didn't want to pull a card so soon but he wanted to see her happy again. "Ah, come on, Kagome. You like me here. You're feeling better now, aren't you? I have that effect on women." He heard her snort but couldn't wipe the grin off his face. He leaned into her and lifted his hand, bracing it against the tree behind her, staring down at her. "I think I have some competition."

"What?" He was out of his mind. Every time she saw him he always said something stupid or something that didn't make sense. How could he have competition when she didn't like him—or anyone else for that matter? No, she didn't like his golden eyes, his long hair, the way his grin turned her insides warm…."Do you have a brother?" She blurted out.

He chuckled. "We've already had this discussion."

Yes, they had, she remembered clearly. She had asked him that question before. She had asked the exact same question to Inuyasha. It was strange, the resemblance she saw between him and Inuyasha….still. Even when she'd asked Inuyasha he had said he had no brother. "You don't have a…human brother?"

He cocked an eyebrow at that. "Trust me; Sesshomaru is the only brother I have. Not sure I could handle another one." He sure as hell didn't want any other brothers. Sesshomaru was enough and he pissed him off half the time. "Besides, I'm a demon. Why the hell would I want a human brother?"

"Don't insult me. I'm a human, too."

He chuckled and ran his forefinger down her cheek, sliding it gently down the scratch. "I've not forgotten one moment that you're human." And her being human turned him on even more. He already knew he could easily dominate her. Compared to him she was weak and by God, she'd writhe beneath him….

"Move. I need to go in." Not really, but she didn't want to stay out here with him. She took a shuddering breath at the thought of going inside again and her eyes burned again. She didn't want to even face Sesshomaru.

He blanched at the scent of her tears. Dammit. Why did she have to cry? She didn't love Sesshomaru so she shouldn't care, other than the Prophecy. But he knew Kagome was a woman who would give anything and everything for the one she belonged to, even if it was Sesshomaru. "Give me a kiss and I'll tell you where to meet him tonight."

"What?" She lurched back but came up against the tree and he was still blocking her way.

"Give me a kiss and I'll tell you where to meet Inuyasha tonight."

This was what he was going to regret, he knew it. The sadness radiating from her ate at his heart and he couldn't take it. He hadn't wanted to move this quick but she had seemed to like his human side a little. She had been so open around him. She might deny it but she was drawn to his human and half-demon side.

"You said you didn't have a human brother."

"I don't. I never said I didn't know him." He scratched the back of his head. "Seems you made an impression on him…I should kill him, being that he's competition—"

"You have no competition. I'm Mated—"

"But that doesn't change the fact that you're attracted." He was moving too fast but he couldn't help it. "And now I'm just going to have to prove it." His voice came out rough. "You like me and that _human_ but I'll be damned if I lose just yet." He knew he shouldn't press her just yet but dammit, every time he was close he lost a little bit of control. He leaned in and cupped the side of her head, twisting his fingers in her hair. His lips swooped down on hers and he kissed her hard. He pressed his body up against hers, thrusting his tongue past her lips. He felt the shock that passed through her body but he didn't stop. He was out to prove something. His other hand swept down and cupped her ass and lifted her up higher against him. He was rewarded with the sound of her heart pumping harder, pounding in his ears. He wanted her to kiss him back but he couldn't do that. Not just yet.

He jerked back and opened his eyes, staring down into her dazed ones. "You like me. You can deny it but your body can't." His thumb feathered over her lips. "You like this human, too…I suppose a little competition is good."

And a little competition would make her go for one or the other, just to prove someone wrong.

"I don't—"

He tapped her lips. "Deny it all you want. Your little Prophecy is safe." Until he took her body and take her body he would. The Prophecy didn't mean anything to him because he knew—somehow he knew—that Sesshomaru wasn't her true Mate.

"Your little human friend thought you might want some human company. He said to come to the forest when it's dark." He grinned. "Just don't forget about me. I'm kinda fascinated by you." He winked at her confused expression. "And you might want to take a dip in the lake before you return. Sesshomaru will smell me all over you and I don't think he'll like that."


	8. Chapter 8

8

Inuyasha was waiting for her? Well, would be? He wasn't supposed to be back for another month but…She ran her brush through her hair as she stared in the mirror. He was right. No one knew how much she was starting to crave _human_ companionship. She was around demons day in and day out. All she wanted to do was sit and have a normal conversation. To actually have control of her life. She rarely saw Sango. She was deprived of human friendship. Even more so, human make friendship.

She stood and left the room and took to the stairs that led up into the highest part of the castle. Entering the isolated room, she saw Sesshomaru out on the balcony, just as she knew he would be. Closing her eyes she purified the Jewel and turned towards the massive bed at the end of the room. She was starting to feel…more reluctant each night. She shouldn't. She lifted her head as Sesshomaru approached.

"Did you fuck her on the bed?" She was blunt. There was no other way around it. She knew if he had taken Kagura on the bed she would burn the bed. She would never lay on it again.

"No."

Her heart leapt in denial as she climbed onto the bed. Her body followed suit because she didn't want to feel his body on hers. She wanted something else. Someone else. She didn't understand it. As she felt his muscled body settle over hers she turned her head to the side and closed her eyes. She tensed as she felt him probe between her legs and then thrust. Her body wasn't ready and it hurt but she took him because she had to. Her fingers curled in the bed sheets as she felt his steady thrusts. She lay there, trying to ignore the feel of him as he speared into her over and over.

"_You so sure about that, __csitri?" _His voice came out of nowhere in the depths of her mind. _"If you lean any further back, you're going to end up breaking the back of the chair."_ She remembered _his_ voice. The annoyance she had felt as they had bickered. And the amusement. His voice eased into her mind, drawing her mind away from the man slowly thrusting into her body.

_She had glanced up at him. "Then move." _

_His response had been one word. "No."_

"_What?"_

_His smile had been wicked, the curved, sharp canines glistening. "Did I stutter?"_

She opened her eyes as she felt the familiar, hot wetness splashing inside her. He'd finished already? Or had she been so lost in her thoughts? She stared at the wall as she felt the heavy drag of his shaft leaving her body and then he was gone. She didn't move until the door clicked shut. She rolled off the bed, wincing at the feel of the wetness trailing down the inside of her thighs. It was bothering her more and more. She should want this—crave it. Sesshomaru was her Mate. But she wanted a male humans company more than his, wanted another male demons company more than his.

She froze at that, staring across the room. Oh God, she preferred _his_ company to Sesshomaru's. Even more than Inuyasha's. It didn't make sense. How could she prefer another males company over her Mates? She didn't understand. She had liked talking with Inuyasha but she still thought about _him._ Why, when all they did was go up against each other? Every time she saw _him _he was always trying to plant a kiss on her or way to close. But something about the way they argued, the way she found him amusing…

How could she find his sadistic attitude so preferable to Sesshomaru's calm one? She covered her face with her hands. When had she started to like _him?_ The moment she had set him free her life had been turned upside down. The Prophecy was in no danger but the thought that she liked him was enough to send her heart racing. It complicated matters.

Why couldn't _he _have been her Mate? She knew she would want for nothing where he was concerned. The way he looked at her was enough to heat her body, to have her heart pounding. And that, from just a look. She wondered if she could have had what Sango had with Miroku if she had been with _him._

"Oh God." Her eyes flew open at those forbidden thoughts.

How could she be torn between three men? No, she didn't love any one of them but she was attracted to two of them. And they were all brothers. _All brothers…_Her head snapped up, confusion in her eyes. Sesshomaru had said he only had one brother. Inuyasha had claimed the same thing. As had _he. _But the other two said they had no other brothers…Something clicked in her mind. She remembered when she had seen Inuyasha. The full moon. The resemblance.

"You bastard." She breathed out. Inuyasha was a half demon. No wonder Inuyasha and _he_ had so resembled each other. They were the same person. He'd lied to her but as to what cost, she didn't know. He'd made her believe that…He was even more arrogant than she had given him credit for. How dare he?

* * *

><p>Inuyasha leaned back against the huge trunk of a tree, his arms crossed against his chest. It was pitch black but he could see perfectly. His ears twitched as he heard the sound of footfalls. Kagome. So she'd come after all. He moved away from the tree and turned and far off he saw the gentle glow of a lantern. "Dammit, woman." He muttered. That light just wasn't going to do. It would give away his white hair. He grinned and took to the trees. He wasn't above scaring the hell out of her. He moved so fast he was a blur before he dropped out of the trees in front of her.<p>

He heard her gasp from the abrupt movement. "Hey, it's me. Sorry." He should probably be saying more but he didn't know what to say.

He could see her perfectly in the darkness, even if she couldn't see him. She inhaled hard, the look on her face twisting into one of shocked anger. Damn, did she even realize how beautiful she was? Why was she mad? He hadn't even done anything yet. He grinned. Yet. He was smart enough to know he was going to do something sooner or later to get her mad.

"Sorry? You're sorry? I highly doubt that. How dare you?"

He frowned. How dare he what?

"Did you really think I wouldn't figure it out? What kind of game are you playing—?"

He lurched back as she lifted the lantern towards his face, the gentle glow cascading over his features. In doing so he saw her face much more clearly. She was angry and shocked. Why—

"I knew it."

He heard her whisper and winced. Things were going downhill. This was not how he'd planned on meeting her tonight, nor the way he had planned for things to go.

But he had no idea how wrong he was in assessing the situation.

"I knew it." Kagome whispered again, staring at the familiar features that should have been human. Instead, they were that of half demons, completely identical to Inuyasha's. "Who naïve do you take me for? Did you think I would fall for you so easily if I thought you were human?"

She was throwing insults at him, her voice carrying on. Then a few of her words caught him. She _knew._ He didn't know how she could have come to the conclusion but her next words confirmed it.

"You _are_ Inuyasha."

His eyes narrowed when she lifted her hand and then he felt the burning sting on his cheek, heard the resounding echo of the slap. A muscle in his jaw ticked as he stared down at her.

Kagome didn't understand why what he'd done infuriated her so. It shouldn't. He'd lied, in a way, yes, but she didn't…understand it. "You—" She pointed her finger at him. Oh God, he'd made her admit that she had liked the "human". Oh, how she made a fool of herself. He'd stated that she liked Inuyasha and when she hadn't denied it a second time…How smug he must have felt, knowing he had that over her, knowing that he was Inuyasha. Her palm itched to slap him again. Why did he play these games? How dare he? She lifted her hand again.

And he caught it before it had even made it halfway to his cheek. His long lean fingers curled around her hand, halting the movement. "You slapped me once. I allowed it. You won't get a second."

The lantern pitched the ground as she lifted her other hand and just like that he caught it, too. She jerked at her hands but he held tight. "Find some other human, Inuyasha. I'm already Mated—"

Something small inside him snapped at that word. Mated. His eyes narrowed. "He's not your Mate." He snapped out. He refused to believe it because he knew Sesshomaru wasn't her Mate. It just didn't fit. Everything about the two proved otherwise though. She bore Sesshomaru's Mark and she was Mated. He still didn't know how he knew but he just did. But she was not Sesshomaru's Mate…somehow…she wasn't.

"Are you mad?" Kagome stared up at him, disbelief in her eyes. Of course Sesshomaru was her Mate. Was he so jealous that he would state the impossible? "Sesshomaru is my Mate." If he wasn't then they wouldn't have been able to Mate themselves to one another. Inuyasha, as a half demon, would know that more than she.

"No, he's not." Inuyasha ground his teeth. "I can prove it." It didn't make sense that he would make such a claim. He'd seen the mark on her shoulder. But he didn't give a damn.

"You can't prove what's not real."

"It's real alright. He's not your Mate, Priestess." He dropped her wrist and hooked his thumb in the top of her kimono and tugged one side off her shoulder, exposing the Mating mark. His thumb smoothed over the raised edges of the mark. It was a half moon, standing out starkly against her pale skin. He didn't like knowing that Sesshomaru had bitten her—knowing he'd taken her body at the same time—locking his teeth inside her and then pulling away to let the wound slowly reseal…His lips curled into a silent snarl.

"You really are insane—"

"I can prove it."

Yes, he'd said that already. But she knew he couldn't prove Sesshomaru wrong. She'd witnessed the Mating first hand. The Prophecy had stated what would happen and it had. Sesshomaur had been one of those four men and he'd made his claim. "No, you cannot—"

"Kiss me."

He cut her off with those two words. She opened her mouth but nothing came out. How naïve did he think she was? She was not going to kiss him. She already knew him well enough to know that that was exactly what he wanted—and more. "I will not—"

"Kiss me." He said again. "And I'll prove it. You'll respond and that alone will be all the proof you need. If he was your Mate you would want no one but him." And Sesshomaru wouldn't be with that Wind Demon. "You know it as well as I do."

"He is my Mate." Kagome stated again.

"Then prove it." He wanted the kiss but not only because he wanted her, but to show her what he knew to be true. There was no way she would be able to deny it. He knew nothing would come of this kiss—he would enjoy it, yes—but nothing would come of it. Not right now.

Kagome didn't want to give him the satisfaction of having her kiss him but she'd be damned if she didn't prove him wrong. "Fine." She closed the distance between them and placed her hands on his shoulders and leaned up on her tiptoes and slid her lips against his. His lips were soft—but she'd proven her point. She hadn't felt anything. She curled her fingers into the red clothing on his shoulders before releasing him. He stared down at her, the look in his eyes unreadable.

"I told you, didn't I, Inuyasha." It wasn't a question.

The look on his face was impassive, his eyes so deep an amber they seemed to glow. But all he said was, "That wasn't a kiss."

She balled her hand into a fist to keep from slapping him again. "Yes, it was and I didn't feel anything. I told you, He is my Mate."

"No, he's not. That kind of kiss won't prove anything."

"That kind of kiss…" Kagome drew back, unsettled. Of course it wouldn't be that easy. Inuyasha wouldn't let it be. He just kept staring at her—waiting for her to come to that conclusion. And she did. "Fine." She hated the way her heart sped as she stepped forward again and moved her hands over his shoulders again. But she'd prove him wrong. He had to be proved wrong. She stared up at him. Waiting. But he did nothing. She cleared her throat. "It would help if you leaned down…" And kissed her.

He shook his head. "No, you'll make the first move. You kiss me. I'll follow your lead." He would prove it to her but she had to make the first move. The furious look in her eyes fueled the fire in his blood. It took everything he had to just stand there. He wanted nothing more than to take her to the ground and take her body—over and over—to prove just how wrong she was in thinking Sesshomaru was her Mate but he knew he couldn't go down that road. Not yet.

Kagome stared up at him. The bastard…She should say no. She should flat out refuse. Why didn't she? "Bastard." She whispered before she leaned up on her tip toes again. She pressed her lips against his again and then pulled back. "I can't. I'm a great deal shorter than you, if you hadn't noticed."

"I noticed." But he didn't change expression. "I already told you." Inuyasha said softly.

Her eyes narrowed at the refusal in his words. He wasn't going to make this easy for her. Damn him. How was she going to do this? But she knew. And hated it. She lifted herself higher against him but in doing so had to align her body against his, cloth covered flesh against cloth covered flesh. She ignored the hot flash in his eyes, the look of triumph and moved her arms higher, wrapping them around his shoulders to give her better leverage. "I hate you." She whispered, keeping up on her tip toes much more easily as she pressed her lips against his again.

He remained unmoving against her, his hot eyes staring into her own. She closed her eyes so she wouldn't have to see him and moved her lips against his, sliding them softly. She hated him, she truly did, more than she had ever any other emotion because she knew what kind of kiss he wanted. One that he was sure would prove…She flicked her tongue against his lips and immediately they opened. She nearly jumped when she felt the answering slide over his tongue over her lips but it was no more than that. She realized that he was doing as he had said. He was doing no more and no less than she was.

She pulled back slightly and opened her eyes, meeting the soft glow of his. "I hate you." She whispered before leaning in again and sliding her lips over his. His lips opened against at the light pressure and her tongue slid into the hot, heated cove of his mouth. Her fingers curled, nails digging into her palms at the dark taste. But he only went as far as she did, his tongue sliding over hers when she nudged his. His taste was addictive and dark, like the forest surrounding them. She jerked back, her eyes meeting him. How could he do this to her? Damn him, she couldn't do this by herself. "Damn you, kiss me back." She whispered.

Something flashed in his eyes, the amber darkening to a deep hue. His finally moved then, his hands sliding down to the small of her back and he hauled her tighter against him and her feet left the ground. His head slanted over hers and the kiss exploded.

He was wrong, Kagome realized. He had said that he would follow her lead but she didn't even have control of the kiss for him to follow. He had it all.

The kiss wasn't like any of the others before—_none._ She had never experienced anything like this. His lips slanted over hers and her thrust a hand into her hair, fisting the silken strands. His tongue thrust into her mouth, taking control and possession. It was nothing like what she had done. She had been gentle in her innocent kiss but this, he was sinful. He kissed her hard, taking her mouth over and over with his tongue, bruising her lips. She sank against him, her knees buckling from the sensual onslaught. Oh God, she had never known a kiss could be so hard, so decadently sinful. There was nothing innocent about it.

She moaned into the kiss, her hands sliding into his hair, tangling in the long strands. He sucked her tongue into his mouth, leaving her moaning in his arms before allowing her to pull back, to return the kiss. This time she followed his lead, lost in what he was doing. She was nowhere near as experienced in kissing as he was but the way he made her feel, she might as well have been. Her tongue thrust into his mouth, curling around his, taking in his heated taste before he was dominating her mouth again with his intoxicating kisses.

His hands dipped lower and then curled around her ass, hauling her up against him. His hands squeezed, cupping her flesh and she jerked away, her head falling back. Her lungs took in the fresh air as his head dipped, his open mouth and tongue sliding over the length of her neck.

"Kagome."

She barely heard the heated whisper. All she could hear—feel—was the dangerous feel of his mouth on her skin, his mouth leaving a hot trail down to the slope of her shoulder. His teeth nipped her skin and she jerked in his arms slightly.

"Kagome…"

She heard him again, the seductive sound of his voice. His lips gentled on her skin and she realized he was kissing the mark on her shoulder before his lips followed the damp trail back to the base of her neck. His tongue slid over the pulse in her neck, stroking the pounding pulse there.

"Kagome…" Inuyasha whispered again and when she didn't respond, he bit neck gently.

"What?" She finally whispered.

"How do you feel?"

How did she feel? That was a stupid question. His teeth nibbed her flesh again when she didn't answer. "Hot." She gasped out.

"Hot? Is that all?"

What the hell did he want her to say? "I don't know."

She felt him shift against her and then his mouth was moving back up, teasing his way back up her neck. Her eyes slid open as his hands cupped her face. One of his thumbs slid over her swollen lips. The look in his eyes was fierce. His eyes met hers, keeping her face level with his. "Really?" He murmured, tilting his head slightly. His eyes moved over her face, searching for what, she didn't know.

"He's not your Mate, Kagome."

The words were low and soft, his eyes deep set, refusing to let her look away. Horror filled her eyes as she started to pull back. Realization set in as she realized what she'd just done. Remembered why he had wanted her to kiss him in the first place. But through it all, he'd known what he was doing. Denial rose up.

His hands dropped back down, cupping her ass again as he jerked her back against him. He lifted her and walked them back until her back came up against a thick tree. "No—"

"Don't you dare." He snarled. His hands moved lower and then he was cupping her thighs, his fingers squeezing the softness through her clothes. He lifted her legs and stepped between, efficiently pinning her between him and the tree. "Don't you dare." He snarled again. He didn't understand where the anger came from or why, or the veracity of his feelings of what she was denying. "He's not your Mate and you know it. No—" His hand fisted in her hair again. "—and now you know it. Don't you dare deny it. I won't let you deny it." His gut clenched and then his heart followed. "Not when you kissed me like you did. The way you feel in my arms, your scent and your taste, it drives me crazy. I won't let you deny it."

He wasn't even aware of the words he'd said. Dammit, how could she still think Sesshomaru was her Mate? After that kiss—she'd moaned, _moaned_, in his arms. He was kissing her again. He couldn't help himself.

Kagome moaned as his lips took hers again. She moaned in denial, trying to block out the haze of pleasure. She didn't want to think that he'd been intent on proving something to her, that the kiss had been nothing but a means to an end of something he wanted. Didn't he understand that she had no choice? That Sesshomaru was her destined? His tongue took possession of her mouth and then she was kissing him back.

"Tell me you're his Mate when you feel _this._"

His right hand shoved between their bodies and then cupped her between her legs, pressing high and hard against her. She stiffened, crying out from the abrupt move.

"You want me, Kagome. If you were his Mate you would have been disgusted by my touch. But you want me." He removed his hand and then rolled his hips against her.

"I want you." He whispered through clenched teeth.

And she could feel the hard length of him pressed against her stomach. Thick and long and so hot, throbbing clear through his clothing. "Inuyasha, he is my Mate." She said softly. There was no way around it. She felt his growl before she heard it and then he was kissing her again. His lips slammed down on hers, his tongue curling around her own in a kiss so hot that she arched in his arms.

How could he do this to her? It shouldn't be possible. _It wasn't possible. _She could feel herself sinking further into his embrace, returning the kiss. His hands clenched on her ass and then he thrust up against her. She moaned, her nails digging into his skulls as he rocked his cock against her. She could feel him clear through her clothing—he was that powerful, his body hard—huge. He kissed her harder, forcing more on her, forcing her to take more as he repeatedly rocked his hips against hers. He held her tighter against him and then moved her against his hips, back and forth, grinding her body against the ridge pressing up through his pants.

Oh God, it felt so good. Her body flared hot, her lips burning where he kissed her—where she kissed him back. Something flared up from the center of her body, burning her insides. It shot up, flowing to the spot where they were connected. The energy was burning hot—but not hurting—so that she braced her hands against his chest, her eyes flying open. She could feel the desperation in her body, deep down and in her mind's eye she could see the bright light forcing its way up from her body towards their lips. Her mouth tingled, burned and she felt the light—she jerked back, tearing her lips from his, struggling to breathe. For a moment, a mere second, she had seen the bright light—power—flaring between their lips as she jerked away. It had been so quick that she had to have imagined it. She _had_ to have. The thought sent terror racing through her.

She sucked in a sharp breath and pushed at the grinding of his hips, her eyes panicked. "Please." She whispered and felt tears gathering. "Please, let me go." He stilled, his hips pressed tight up against her so that she could feel the burning heat of his cock against her. But he didn't let her go.

A sob rose up. "_Please—"_

She would have fallen if he hadn't grasped her arms as he pulled away so suddenly, keeping her up. She could hear his harsh breaths, panting. But she didn't look at him. She turned without a word and took off towards the Castle—running as if the devil himself were on her heels.


	9. Chapter 9

9

Kagome rushed through the forest, her heart pounding in horror at what she had done. How could she have let him do that to her? He'd kissed her and Heaven help her, she had kissed him back. And Inuyasha was right. She had enjoyed it. Reveled in it. His touch had left her aching, her body burning. She had never known a kiss could be so hot, so gut wrenchingly sinful. And when he'd cupped her between her legs lust had risen up, hard and painful. She had never felt anything like it.

Inuyasha had introduced her to something that had had her crying out, her body on fire for his.

"Oh God." She whispered and wiped at the tears that fell. Why was she crying? But she knew. She was terrified. She wasn't afraid of Inuyasha. No, what left her unable to cope, unstable and confused was the power that she had felt flare up between them on that last kiss. It felt as if he'd been sucking the very life from her—almost. But no. She _knew._ The Power of the Jewel had flared up between them in that kiss, drawn towards the man who was not her Mate. If she hadn't stopped that kiss the Prophecy would have been broken. Because the Power she had felt had been the Jewel. If any of that Power had left her body and entered his, all was doomed.

She had known the consequences of her actions but at the moment, she hadn't cared. Inuyasha had a way of doing that to her. The Prophecy had said she couldn't fall away from Sesshomaru or be close to another male. And she'd been dangerously close. Close enough to where the Power had known and was making itself known to them, intent on leaving her body and entering Inuyasha's.

She pressed a hand against her pounding heart and ran up the steps leading to the massive stone and oak doors entrance. The door was jerked open before she'd even reached the handle. Sesshomaru stood there, his hair whipping around him from the wind. The look on his face was fierce—confused and furious. Her gaze dropped to where his hand rested over his chest, the exact place where hers rested on her own. The center of his chest. The place where they were both connected. The Power of the Jewel. The small area was tinted red as if it ached. His arm snaked out, his fingers curling around her arm. He jerked her into the entrance way, his fingers a tight shackle around her forearm.

"What did you do?"

"Nothing, I swear it." She whispered. And she hadn't. At least, she hadn't done what he was asking. But the ache in the center of their bodies, the redness on both of their chests, was something different. It shouldn't be there. She could still feel the power in her body, felt the connection to Sesshomaru so it was still there in him as well. But he would know if she had done anything. He would smell it on her body. Her eyes widened in shocked horror at the thought but it was too late. His nostrils flared and from the look that came over his face, he _knew_. He could smell Inuyasha all over her.

It didn't matter that Inuyasha hadn't taken her. He had kissed her, he had held her and he had _touched_ her. There was no way to hide it and there was no way to hide how her body had flared to life beneath Inuyasha's touch. The look on his face frightened her. She knew Sesshomaru would never hurt her. The Prophecy wouldn't allow it. But the look that crossed his face, the dark intense gold that his eyes became frightened her like nothing else.

He curled his hand into the front of her clothing and jerked her to him. He leaned down and inhaled and then jerked back, cursing.

"I didn't mean—"

Sesshomaru gripped her arm again and then took to the stairwell. She had no choice but to follow him. She stumbled once but he jerked her back up and then slammed open the door at the top floor. He didn't let go of her arm until she was standing beside the table where she purified the Jewel every night. She stared at the marble top dumbly before lifting her gaze to his.

"Do it. Now."

He wanted her to Purify the Jewel. Proof that everything was as it should be. She wanted that, too. She lifted her hands and tried to calm the pounding of her heart and placed her hands over her chest and closed her eyes. She could feel the vibe of the Jewel deep inside, warming her insides. Yes, it was still there. But she was terrified. And she shouldn't be. Nothing had happened. She hoped to God nothing had happened. Why did he have to do this to her? Why hadn't Inuyasha just left her alone? _Why hadn't she told him no and meant it? _

Kagome opened her eyes and stared at the empty place between her hands. Her heart skipped a beat. She lifted her head to stare at Sesshomaru across the room. "I can't do it." She whispered weakly. Oh God.

She heard a warning growl come from his throat as he stalked towards her. He spun her towards him and then caught at the top right shoulder of her Kimono and ripped the material off her shoulder. She glanced down at her shoulder, wondering what the hell he was doing—his mark. She still bore Sesshomaru's mark. She was still his. She could feel the relief that flooded him. But it wasn't enough. His nose twitched and she realized he smelled Inuyasha there as well. But still bearing his mark, she was still Sesshomaru's. Everything was as it should be.

"Concentrate." He snapped out.

Her tongue slid over dry lips as she turned back towards the table and then held her arms out again, inches from her chest. Concentrate. She had to clear her mind. She couldn't think about Inuyasha. Couldn't think of the way he had kissed her…she squeezed her eyes shut. She didn't want to think of him kissing her. Period. She took a deep breath and willed her body to ease. She couldn't purify the Jewel if her mind wasn't clear, if her body and soul weren't at ease.

'_Breathe.'_ She whispered silently to herself, willing her mind to become a blank slate. She imagined the Power inside her growing, warming her insides, pulsing up—just like it had when Inuyasha had kissed her. Her eyes flew open and she stared down at the Power between her palms, floating. She sucked in a sharp breath as it flickered before their very eyes, the light fading in and out. The Jewel materialized as it always did but the light flickered out and then came back.

"Concentrate!" Sesshomaru snapped out again, clenching his teeth.

A sense of unease rolled down her spine as she willed the Jewel to steady so she could control the Power. The Prophecy was still intact because she still belonged to Sesshomaru but it was obvious the damage had been done. Just enough to have the Power fading.

"Breathe." She whispered to herself again, this time aloud. None of the Power had transferred to Inuyasha. So this wasn't happening. It couldn't be. She had to believe that. She closed her eyes and felt the Power throbbing inside her and forced out the energy. She could feel the heat from between her palms again and this time when the light flared from between her palms it was bright again, purifying without any of the flickering light.

But her mind was far from calm seconds after. Through the chaos in her mind she couldn't comprehend the meaning of the flickering Jewel, the Power that had faded between the two. The Jewel would only do that if a piece of that Power was missing.

Sesshomaru stalked towards her then and turned her around. "Go bathe. Now. His stench offends me and I will not take you smelling of him."

Her heart skipped a beat before she nodded. She turned and took off in the direction of the bath inside. How humiliating. How terrifying. She hadn't intended for the kiss to go so far. More than that, she hadn't known the Power of the Jewel would come up between them. It wasn't possible. And she hadn't planned on Sesshomaru ever knowing that small weakness that Inuyasha presented. She bathed quickly, scrubbing at her skin. Sesshomaru was waiting for her when she walked back into the room.

She had to do this. Kagome knew that. She dropped the towel and climbed onto the bed and he followed, covering her body with his. He leaned down and cupped his hand over the mark on her shoulder. "Know this, Kagome, you are mine. Do not be so reckless again."

Kagome closed her eyes, turning her head to the side. "I know." She whispered. The Prophecy had stated who she belonged to. She bunched the covers in her hands as he thrust into her body and then cried out when he bit into her shoulder, directly over his Mating mark. The sharp pain surprised her, bearing down in her shoulder, moving through her flesh. He bit down hard, his teeth piercing her flesh. He was marking her again, taking no chances. The Prophecy would never allow him to hurt her. This pain, it allowed because he was marking her as his. Again. He thrust into her, marking her from the inside out. He didn't release the biting hold on her shoulder until he shuddered above her, releasing his seed into her body.

Just like that he was gone, pulling out of her body and disappearing.

* * *

><p>Inuyasha shoved his hands into his pocket. He didn't know what had come over him. He hadn't been able to control himself. The kiss had been hot and brutal. When she had denied, stated that Sesshomaru was indeed her Mate, he'd lost it. Why couldn't she see what he did? He wanted to know how the impossible was possible.<p>

Kagome didn't understand how much she affected him. Her kiss drove him to his knees. So hot that it sent lust driving through his body. Her kiss was fire. He'd felt the fiery, lust filled kiss burn his mouth, his tongue, coursing down into his body seconds before she'd pulled away. He had never felt anything like it before and even now his body still ached. Not only his cock, but the fire in his blood.

He grimaced and rubbed the center of his chest. It ached, a slight burn from the inside. His ears picked up a slight sound and he turned as Sesshomaru stepped into the clearing.

"What do you want?"

"Do you know what you could have done? What you could have caused?"

Inuyasha sighed. He didn't bother asking what Sesshomaru meant by that. He knew that Sesshomaru _knew. _But Inuyasha knew Kagome would have never have told Sesshomaru. He knew Sesshomaru wasn't in a good mood right now, if his expression was anything to go by.

"Nothing happened, Sesshomaru."

Inuyasha turned away and started in the opposite direction. Sesshomaru had the right to be angry. In a way. But Inuyasha had already told him that Kagome was not his Mate. He body jerked and he came to a stop and glanced down. Sesshomaru's sword protruded out from his chest, covered in his blood—directly through his heart. He felt a violent throb in the center of his chest that moved through his whole body. Then he felt the pain. Heard the steady drip of his blood as it slowly began easing down his chest. His vision blurred as Sesshomaru slowly withdrew the sword. He fell to his knees, bracing a hand against a tree.

"Know your place, Inuyasha. A half-breed cannot tame the Power of the Jewel. I will not let you endanger Kagome or the Power of the Jewel."

Through the throbbing pain in his chest, the vibrations that moved from the center of his chest, he heard Sesshomaru speak. His voice was cold—unfeeling.

"I will not let a half-breed take what is mine. You do not know the extent of what you could have brought to this world, Inuyasha. You have the Power to take her as part of the Prophecy but no half-breed can control it."

Even with the demon blood flowing in his veins he couldn't survive a mortal wound to his chest. Inuyasha knew that. Sesshomaru knew that. Without immediate aid he would die. And as he felt the blood pumping out of the wound, he could feel the life draining from him. He hadn't expected that.

"I'll not allow you to endanger Kagome or the Prophecy any more than you already have."

Inuyasha heard Sesshomaru murmur the words as if from far away. Still, his voice was soft and cool—as if he didn't feel any remorse for what he'd just done. He felt the warm vibration in his chest pulse again as he fell. Inuyasha's heart gave a weak attempt to pump life into his body but he knew it was too late. His vision tunneled as he hit the ground on his side, staring up at Sesshomaru's retreating figure as his blood pumped out onto the ground.

But his chest felt warm, the pulse echoing through his body. He felt his heart give another weak pump and then he gave a weak, shuttering sigh as the breath left his lungs.

(MUHAHAHAHAAH! Oh my, is Inuyasha dead? –Cries—)


	10. Chapter 10

10

Kagome didn't understand it.

A part of her didn't want to think about what had happened between her and Inuyasha. What he had said. A part of her didn't want to understand it. If she didn't understand it then she could do what she wanted. The problem was her wants. They didn't make sense. She had kissed him and then when he had kissed her back—she'd returned the kiss full force. That was what didn't make sense. She had responded. He had said that if Sesshomaru was her true Mate then she had nothing to worry about. She couldn't deny that she had reveled in his kiss. She had cried out in his arms. She had moaned and gasped, arching her body against his. And all of that from just one kiss and a touch.

How could that be if Sesshomaru was her Mate? She cupped her hand over the Mating mark on her shoulder. She knew that mark wouldn't have been there unless Sesshomaru was her Mate. If he hadn't been her Mate, his body and hers would have rejected the mark and it would have been utterly painful as the wound slowly healed itself. Any demon could try to mark another female but unless they were true Mates, something in their bodies chemically flowing together towards one another, then the Mark wouldn't hold. The moment Sesshomaru had sunk his teeth into her shoulder; she had felt the scent of his body, his power, flow into the open wound. Something in their blood, in the make-up of their body was the same. It was the only way.

But her mind was in turmoil over the intensity, the fever that Inuyasha had caused to rise in her body. She couldn't not think about it. In the end she knew she doubted herself. And Sesshomaru.

Kagome grimaced and rubbed the center of her chest. The spot ached. It felt cold but she could feel the warm sensation on the inside. The spot was where the Power resided, the place where she and Sesshomaru were connected. She had seen Sesshomaru's chest and saw the same reaction on his. She assumed it was only a reaction of her close encounter with Inuyasha. She knew the Prophecy and knew the warning. If she gave into temptation that was not her Mate then the Power would unravel and the Prophecy would be broken. Through that kiss, she had nearly broken it. She played her hand flat against her chest, pressing her palm over the ache.

"Are you hurting, Kagome?"

Kagome glanced down as Shippo hopped alongside her. She opened her arms and the little kitsune jumped into them. She wrapped her arms around him, hugging him against her bosom. For once she was glad that he was a child. It didn't matter that he was a demon; he was still a child and in that, he couldn't fully sense her emotions. "No, of course not."

She half expected Inuyasha to appear at that but he didn't. She was surprised that he hadn't appeared earlier, either. She'd come to expect him to pop up from nowhere because he had made it a habit to come at the most inappropriate times.

"I heard you and Sesshomaru arguing last night. He didn't hurt you, did he? I saw him pull you inside last night…"

What was she supposed to say to that? "You shouldn't listen to adult conversations, Shippo and no, he didn't. You know he would never hurt me."

"I didn't mean to listen. He's just kind of loud sometimes. I didn't hear much, other than something about the Jewel."

"Come on, I'll fix you some noodles and then you can have some pie to take with you." She smiled weakly, efficiently averting the conversation away. She was not going to discuss what had happened with a child—or anyone else.

She found herself glancing out the window as the day wore on and hated herself for it. Did she want to see Inuyasha? He'd caused enough trouble as it was. He was smart in staying away. She knew that if she didn't kill him, Sesshomaru likely would if a repeat of last night happened. She rubbed her chest again, wishing the ache would stop. She felt lost, as if a part of her was missing.

She glanced up at the sky as the light of day slowly began to fade. Where was he? She bit her lip as she started up the stairs. She'd actually been hoping that Inuyasha would show up and she realized in that moment that it was a good thing that he hadn't. She knew that if things were to ever right themselves, Inuyasha would have to stay out of the picture. He was a temptation and one she didn't need. But she had to know one thing. She lifted her head as she pushed open the door to the Upper Chamber and saw Sesshomaru standing on the balcony again.

"Sesshomaru?"

"Yes?"

She couldn't ask him, not this far away and as she started towards him she knew he would be able to sense her nervousness. The question was why was she nervous? She was afraid of what the answer might be. She stopped at his side and curled her fingers against the railing. And she knew there was no other way to ask him, no way around it. With him, she had to be blunt. That was his way.

"We are Mates? Truly?"

He was quiet but she could feel the change in him. It wasn't anger or even confusion. It was acceptance, as if he'd been expecting this question.

"Kagome, you know as well as I that you bare my mark." He turned his head, he moonlight glinting off his golden eyes, catching the markings on his cheeks. "If it were not so, then the Mating wouldn't have taken place. You ask this because of Inuyasha. Do not let him cause you doubt of what you know to be true." He turned away, looking back out over the land. "If not for the Prophecy I would not have Mated you. But know this; your life will be placed above my own. Your care comes before my own. You are what keeps this Prophecy, Kagome."

Sesshomaru would not tell a lie. Every word he said was true. He would protect her at all costs. There was one thing that he would not tell her though. He didn't doubt their bond but he did suspect the cause of it. Their Mating was not meant to be. He knew the Prophecy by heart. Four men—demons—were chosen to act as part. They _all_ had the power to tame the Power of the Jewel with Kagome but only _one_ was her Mate. Only _one _had to ability to truly Mate with her. Only _one _was meant to finish the Prophecy with her. He was one of those four. His suspicion was that Inuyasha was one of the three left. _The one. _He could only thing of one reason why he had been able to Mate with Kagome and that was because Inuyasha was her true Mate.

Inuyasha and Sesshomaru were half-brothers. They shared the same blood. Whatever was in Inuyasha, was in him as well. It had made it possible for him to Mate with Kagome.

Kagome was Inuyasha's true Mate. But it was too late. The bastard had gotten himself into a sleeping Subjugation Spell. Sesshomaru knew though that he wouldn't have allowed Inuyasha near her. As a half-breed, Inuyasha did not have the Power to tame the Jewel, not even with Kagomes help. It was sad and pathetic. Their lives, their world, depended on the Prophecy and Kagome—and he would have done whatever it took to keep the world from ruin. And he had. Last night when he had smelled Inuyasha's scent on her body he had known. Inuyasha was her Mate. There was no doubt in his mind of that now.

He'd had no choice but to kill Inuyasha. The bastard had almost ruined everything. It was too late because Kagome bore his mark now and what belonged to Sesshomaru would always remain so. Not only that, he would not put the Power of the Jewel in a half-breeds possession. Didn't he understand that it couldn't be controlled in such a weak state?

It was his secret—his honor. He'd done it to protect Kagome and the world.

"You silly girl. Why would you doubt his word?"

Sesshomaru lifted his head as a gust of wind blew in, caressing his body and then Kagura materialized on the balcony. Kagome jerked her head up at the soft, sultry voice. Her eyes narrowed. "You're not welcome here, Kagura. Leave."

"I'm welcome where ever Sesshomaru will have me."

How dare she? Kagome glanced down at her hands, shocked to see sparks of energy buzzing at the tips of her fingers. Then again, she wasn't so surprised. Seeing Kagura infuriated her. The fact that she would dare appear in front of her, in her own home and then wrap her arms around Sesshomaru…"Leave or I'll purify you." She threatened again.

Kagura laughed softly. "You've threatened me before but Sesshomaru will no more allow you to hurt me than he will me to you."

Something inside Kagome snapped and she stepped forward, her arms lifting. Faintly she could hear Sesshomaru chastising Kagura but she didn't care. She lifted her hands and aimed the boiling energy towards Kagura—and a gust of wind slammed her back past the balcony doors. She expected to slam into the wall but she'd barely even moved a few inches before Sesshomaru was behind her, catching her body against his. She knew if the Prophecy hadn't been protecting Sesshomaru then he probably would have been fried by her Powers.

"Leave, Kagura." Sesshomaru said coldly.

She expected Kagura to argue but she didn't. She stared at Sesshomaru for a moment before she withdrew a feather from her hair and tossed it into the wind. It morphed, forming into large feather like bed. She jumped from the balcony and without a word, disappeared in the wind. She could feel the throb in her body, the violent energy that Kagura had stirred. The tips of her fingers still sparked, wanting to be released.

"Calm yourself." Sesshomaru turned her and tipped her face up to his. "Calm yourself, Kagome." He lifted her hands. She didn't want to calm herself. She wanted to throw bolt after bolt of energy into Kagura's body. How dare she?

"Kagome, calm yourself. Now." Sesshomaru murmured softly again. "Look."

He drew her attention to her fingertips, where the pink sparks flickered between a bright pink to black, back and forth. She sucked in a sharp breath, her eyes widening. "Oh my God." She whispered. She recognized the dark energy and knew the cause. The jealousy that had coursed through her body when Kagura had touched Sesshomaru, the way she had appeared in _her_ home. She had no right here. Those thoughts, those feelings were not innocent. They were not good. They were not pure. He closed his hands over hers. "Concentrate. You have to."

More than ever, she was glad that Sesshomaru had stood on her side once again. She was terrified at what she had seen in herself. She closed her eyes and willed the dark energy away before Sesshomaru drew her into his arms. She opened her eyes slowly. This was the first time he had ever shown any affection towards her. She knew it wasn't true affection, not the kind that she knew Mates should have but it was something. He was comforting her.

"That should not have happened." She knew he wasn't talking about the Power. "I promise she will never raise a hand to you again." He murmured into her hair.

She knew, though, that he wasn't promising to stay away from Kagura. He was promising to not allow Kagura back into their home or to threaten her physically again.

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><p>I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. I needed to get something across to all you, my lovely readers! Sesshomaru isn't the bad guy. He is an ass, don't get me wrong, but he's doing what he thinks is right. We all know Sesshomaru has issues where Inuyasha being a half-demon is concerned! He does have an issue with "possessions" because he considers Kagome his now…yada yada…I hope you all understood how Sesshomaru was able to Mate her. : ) MUHHAHAHAH! If you don't, just let me know.<p> 


	11. Chapter 11

11

Sesshomaru lifted his head, his eyes opening slowly. A soft scent blew his way, the curtains on the balcony doorway shifting in the breeze. The scent was sweet, mixed with malice and an all too seductive sent that rushed through his body.

"You will not repeat such a foolish action again." He didn't turn as he spoke. He didn't move a muscle. He didn't even blink.

Kagura stared at his broad back, naked from the chest up. She closed the distance between them and wrapped her arms around him from behind. She would not admit to it but yes, she knew how foolish her actions had been. If Sesshomaru hadn't killed her, Kagome likely would have. She was lucky he hadn't. But she knew he wouldn't kill her. She knew that was taking matters a little far, showing how so caught up in herself she was, but she was the Wind Demon. No one could imprison her.

"She's a fool to doubt what you say to be true, Sesshomaru." Kagura murmured, pressing her lips against his back. She opened her eyes when he pulled away from her touch. He turned and she shuddered at the cold chill that went down her spine.

"You will not disrespect her."

"Like you, Sesshomaru?" Kagura pressed. "You disrespect her every night. Every day. Every night when you come to me. She's nothing, so weak—"

He cut her off, his hand curling around her throat in a bruising hold as a loud, snarling roar came from his lips. He lifted her clear of the balcony and then they were rushing over the edge. The wind rose up, howling, tugging at her hair and clothing. Sesshomaru leaned in close, his voice low and harsh as he hissed the words in her ear. "You will not disrespect her, Kagura. She has more power, more honor than you could ever conceive of. You think you can control the Power of the Jewel but you cannot. One touch from the Jewel and you would be gone from this world. You. Will. Not."

Kagura tugged loose the feather in her hair and whipped it up into the air but Sesshomaru caught her wrist and snapped the feather in two. His hand tightened around her throat but his other curled around her waist, spanning the small of her back as they crashed into the ground. She felt the grueling impact of her body forming a crater, both of their demonic energy eroding the ground as they sank deeper, forming a large hole.

"You will not disrespect her." He whispered again. Not with her actions and certainly not with her words.

"You've punished me long enough, Sesshomaru." Kagura ran her hands through his thick, long hair and jerked his face down to hers. When he didn't resist she arched up, wrapping her legs around his waist. His punishment had been torture. Sesshomaru knew how she wanted. She loved sex and with Sesshomaru, it was addicting. She'd been without him for three days. He'd _rejected_ her. Feeling his body against hers, she realized how much she'd missed his hard kiss, the way his hands held her body beneath his. She felt his hands moving over her sides, his thumbs sliding over her hipbones.

She wanted him touching her. Kissing his way down her body, taking her hard…but he wasn't. Sesshomaru wasn't doing any of those things. He was holding her—that was all. She felt him exhale and then he was pulling away, the look in his eyes cold. He stood and jumped backwards out of the crater. "Leave, Kagura." He said softly, without emotion.

She sat up slowly, staring up at him through the darkness. Did he really think he could make her think that he didn't want her? She could smell his arousal. It was a live thing, moving over her skin. A heady, strong scent that left her skin warm. "Sesshomaru…"

"I'll not repeat myself." His golden eyes moved over her but his expression didn't give away anything. He turned away then, his hair flowing behind him before he disappeared into the darkness. With him gone, she knew she had no choice but to leave. Leave with her body still burning with unspent desire and an ache in her heart. She was angry. She wouldn't deny that, but there was nothing she could do. Not right now.

* * *

><p>Sesshomaru watched as Kagura summoned the wind and then was gone. Kagura was right. He did want her. He would be a liar if he denied that his body wasn't hurting. He ached for her. And he, Sesshomaru, was no liar. He was an honorable ruler and he was not one to go back on his Word. With Kagome as his Mate, he owed that much to her. He couldn't give Kagome what she had asked for. Severance from Kagura. That was asking too much. But he could give her something.<p>

He'd given her Faithfulness for three nights and now, four. He owed her that much.

No, Sesshomaru corrected himself. He couldn't exactly call it that. Faithfulness would be nothing between him and Kagome. Faithful would mean giving up the wind. Kagura—she was the wind that eased his soul.

Some would call him crazy that he, Lord of the Western Lands, Great Demon Lord, was torn between two women. He was driven to his knees between the two because they were both his. He knew he couldn't have them both but he could let neither go. They both belonged to him and what belonged to him, he would not release. He was like the sin, Greed. He wanted all.

* * *

><p>Kagome ran her hands up and down her arms. She was cold. But it wasn't cold outside. "But I'm not cold." She whispered. She was warm. The coldness that she felt came from the center of her chest. <em>The ache.<em> She closed the Gates as she stepped out into the forest. Being inside she felt too confined. She _needed_ to be outside. Night had fallen hours ago and after Sesshomaru had left their bed she had bathed and came here. For once the night soothed her. The moment she was outside she could breath and the closer she came to the hut at the end of the path, the easier it was to breath. She wanted to repent, to pray and cleanse herself for what she had done four nights ago.

Four nights. Three days. She hadn't seen him. Inuyasha.

Those thoughts were what had made her feel so guilty. At least he understood they couldn't be. Finally. At least he had the courage needed to stay away from her. To stop before everything fell apart. She stepped into the hut and sank onto the center rug. She placed her hands together as if in prayer and then bent her head.

_Her chest pulsed_.

A shudder shook her body as she gasped, her eyes flying open. She staggered forward even though she was already on her knees. She caught herself with one hand. The center of her chest pulsed again, so hard she felt the vibe tear through her body. She swore she could hear the throb in her chest. She gasped as it throbbed again, pulsing a hard, deep vibration. Her hand snaked up, curling over the center of her chest where it was centered. "Oh God." She whispered.

The spot ached and it was cold. So cold. It pulsed again and she could feel the pulse vibrating against her palm as she staggered to her feet. Something was wrong. She had to get back. It dawned on her that the pulse in her chest had started the instant she'd stepped outside. She stepped out of the hut and it happened again. She took a step in the direction of the Castle and halted. She could feel the pull in her chest, the violent throb that echoed in her body. The closer she came to the forest the more the ache in the center of her chest pulsed.

She took a step back and the Power of the Jewel flared inside her, nearly burning her insides.

'_No...'_

The voice whispered inside her mind. The Power itself had spoken.

"What do you want me to do?" Kagome whispered hoarsely, palming the pulsing ache in her chest. No answer came. But she already knew. The Jewel didn't want her going back to the Castle yet. It wanted her to go into the forest. She looked up towards the castle and was nearly driven to her knees again. No, the Jewel did not want her leaving yet. She knew if she wasn't back by sunrise Sesshomaru would come looking for her. But she couldn't go back now. The Jewel wouldn't allow it. She didn't understand it.

She staggered into the forest and the pulse vied out from her body, so thick she swore she could see the waves. The energy emitting from her chest was pulling her deeper into the forest, leading her way. Her skin crawled and she wanted nothing more to go back inside but she couldn't. Her chest ached, the pulses coming thicker. She glanced up and through the semi darkness saw a white pillow of—

"Oh my God." Kagome whispered hoarsely and sank to her knees. She leaned over Inuyasha's prone form and cupped his shoulders to shake him and then snatched her hands away, staring at him in horror. He was cold as ice. Her eyes widened in denial—in disbelief, as terror rose up in her. His skin was cold as death—Oh God, he was dead. She shook her head and leaned over him. "No, you can't be dead. I saw you ." She whispered and leaned further over him, her fingers frantically searching for a pulse in his neck.

The moment the upper half of her body was aligned with his, the center of her chest pulsed again—violently. She felt the answering pulse of his—dead center in his chest. She actually heard it. Her head jerked up as the cold in her chest flared out, echoed by his and then a hot, heated burst of energy jerked her upper body down to his. She slammed her palms against the ground but the energy kept her pressed against him so that she felt the icy skin of his soak through her clothes. Something had happened. The pulse that she had felt, she felt in him, too. The same place. Just as suddenly she was released, the pulse in her chest gone and she jerked back, falling on her ass.

Her gaze dropped to his chest. What she had felt in her own chest she had felt in his, too. Without thought she was crouched over him again and then she grasped the edges of his red houri and white shirt at once and ripped them both apart. She gasped, her eyes widened in horrified disbelief. On his bare chest, his skin so pale, was a clean cut directly through his heart. A sword had cut through the left side of his chest, slicing cleanly through his heart from the back and through to the front. She recognized the work of that cut, so precise.

'_Sesshomaru, what have you done?'_ She thought in agony. Inuyasha hadn't done anything. How could Sesshomaru have done such a thing?

Then she felt it again. A slow, gentle pulse in the center of his chest. She glanced up and from the center of Inuyasha's chest she saw the same violent, gentle pulse there.

'_Save him. He is part of me…'_

The Jewel whispered in her mind again, soothing her. "He's already dead." Kagome whispered, staring at his still face.

'_Save him. He is part of me…'_

The voice whispered again and her vision tunneled—_Hot, white shot up, flowing to the spot where they were connected. The energy was burning hot—but not hurting—so that she braced her hands against his chest, her eyes flying open. She could feel the desperation in her body, deep down and in her mind's eye she could see the bright light forcing its way up from her body towards their lips. Her mouth tingled, burned and she felt the light—_

The memory burned bright in her mind so suddenly that she thought it was actually happening again. She looked down to the center of his chest again, nervous fear settling in the pit of her stomach. She waved right hand over the center of his chest, feeling for the familiar pulse of energy that would present itself as the Power of the Jewel. And there it was. It pulsed directly in the center of his chest—the Power of the Jewel. It was barely there, just a hint of Power.

But the feeling was the same as hers. The same as Sesshomarus. She now understood the ache in her chest, the redness that marked the center of Sesshomaru's chest. Part of the Power had been taken and given to another.

What had she done?

And as she stared down at him she knew she had to kill him. She should. Killing him would restore the Power to her. But she couldn't. It wasn't that she wouldn't kill him. _She couldn't._ She heard a weak thump and she jerked her gaze back to his chest and heard it again.

He was alive!

Kagome knew he should have died. That injury to his heart should have killed him instantly but the Power of the Jewel had kept his soul intact. Weak, but intact. Saving him would cause hell for them all but she couldn't…

Oh God, what had she done, kissing him, the power flowing into him?

"Forgive me, Sesshomaru." She whispered. _Forgive me, Inuyasha. _Because she knew Sesshomaru would kill him to release the power back to her. Cause she couldn't do it herself. She hated Sesshomaru for doing this to his own brother. She hated him—wanted to hate him. But she couldn't.

She heard his heart flutter and leaned over him and braced her hands against the left side of his chest, meeting his cold skin. "Don't die, Inuyasha. Please." She braced her hands against the mortal wound on his chest and in his heart and summoned the Energy pulsing inside her and sent it flaring into the wounds. She could feel his body fighting the healing energy, the demon side of his body fighting something so pure. "_Don't die. Please!" _Kagome whispered. Her hands grew warm even against his cold skin as she felt the wounds closing slowly and as she pulled back and saw his body take in a slow, weak breath she _knew_ it wasn't enough.

She leaned over him and brushed back the hair from his face. His skin was still cold…too cold. "I c-cant let you die. I should but I can't…I don't know why." He was going to die anyways from the cold that had taken over his body if she didn't do something. And she could only thing of one thing. Her hands went to the buttons on the top of her kimono before she stopped. She glanced up, looking into the shadows of the forest.

She pulled out several sutras from her pockets and threw them in a circle, surrounding their bodies. This was a forest and she knew there were countless demons in this land. Those sutras would keep any demons from attacking them. She slipped one button free and then frowned, lifting her head. She felt a dull power, another pulse…And dropped her gaze to his sword. Without warning she withdrew his sword as well as the sheath and stabbed the sword into the ground at the top of the circle surrounding them and then stabbed the sheath at the bottom of the circle. She could feel the invisible barrier flaring up around them-and knew it was blocking anyone from finding their location. It was a powerful sword, somehow sensing there were other demons in the area and it wanted to protect its master.

"Thank you." Kagome whispered to the sword and jerked off her clothes. She wasn't hesitant. She had to keep him alive. _She had to._ She wasn't thinking of Sesshomaru's wrath or anyone for that matter. She jerked off Inuyashas clothes and rolled him fully onto his back. He was too cold. His chest was red from where the sword had pierced through. Even though she had healed him she knew his body would still have to heal itself completely. He would still ache from the mortal wound. But he had to survive tonight to survive that. She sank to the ground beside him and curled her body against his side and pulled his red houri jacket over them to keep what warmth she could inside. It covered her from her chin to her thighs but it only covered part of his chest and down to his ass.

Kagome pressed her body flush against his side, shivering at the icy sensation of his skin and threw her arm over his chest. She kissed his shoulder, rubbing the warm sensation into his shoulder. "You have to live. Even if Sesshomaru kills you again after this…I have to know you didn't die." She whispered.

* * *

><p>(I hope you guys enjoyed this…! I hope I portrayed everything good for you guys…how she felt when she found him and all…hahahah)<p> 


	12. Chapter 12

12

She was warm. Kagome realized that as her eyes slid open. She was warm and the heat emitting from beside her was the cause.

'_You drew me to him. Save him…'_

Kagome remembered whispering those words in her mind over and over. She had waited, wanting to feel the Power flaring up between the two of them but nothing had happened. Her mind had remained silent from the Jewel and Inuyasha hadn't as much as moved an inch against her. She didn't understand why the Jewel hadn't healed him completely when it had gone so far as to force life into his body and then leave him there to just die. Even though she had healed the wound in his chest and through his heart, he had remained unresponsive.

She wasn't sure how much time had passed but it was still night. The moon had risen higher but dawn was still far from being near. His body had been freezing cold when she had first pressed her body against his but now his skin was so deliciously warm that it was seductive in its intensity.

What Sesshomaru had done, he had meant to kill Inuyasha immediately. She knew Sesshomaru was a cold person but to kill his own brother?

She knew something had been wrong the moment she had seen him lying on the ground. She should have killed him and retrieved the Power then. The fact that she hadn't been able to bring herself to kill him spoke volumes. She wanted to understand it—she had begged the Jewel—but the answer wouldn't come. Her mind had remained silent. The Jewel had remained silent. She was afraid to move, afraid the warmth from his body would fade if she did. Looking at him now, she realized how much he and Sesshomaru resembled each other, except for Inuyasha seemed more human. Her gaze dropped to his chest and the small white scar that lined the left side of his chest. Demons didn't scar.

Damn Sesshomaru for that.

She ran her thumb over the scar and then looked at the small rash in the center of his chest. She let her hand hover over area and felt the gentle pulse of the Jewel inside. She couldn't believe she had been so careless—but that carelessness had saved his life.

And it could very well end it.

Sesshomaru would likely still kill him to retrieve that small speck of Power and she just couldn't…allow that. She knew she had to draw that Power out of him before Sesshomaru did it himself. She lowered her gaze and then moved her hand lower. Her palm brushed the hard muscles of his abdomen. His body was hard, all muscle, much like Sesshomaru but different. Her fingers could dip and trace each muscle, fitting against his body perfectly…

Even though he was warm again he hadn't moved once. She could hear the steady but weak beat of his heart and her hand fisted over the Power in his chest. Inuyasha had to come back. He'd made an impact on her life. She would deal with the consequences later but he _couldn't_ die. _'Please, please, please.'_ She whispered silently. The center of her chest gave another deep pulse again and she felt the answering throb in his. The feeling inside her was dark, settling deep.

Her heart gave a jolt as a shudder wracked his body and she jerked her head up. His lids opened, revealing the golden eyes she had feared she'd never see again. The center of her chest pulsed again, the feeling around her dark and pressing. One of his arms circled around her body, pulling her closer against him till she was half draped over him.

"Is T'sugaiga in the ground?" His voice was weak from being so close to death, deeper from the sleep that the Jewel had kept him in, but none the less Inuyasha. She could feel the weakness in him as his arm tightened around her body.

"Inuyasha…" He was alive!

"Tetsusaiga…is it in the ground?" He whispered again.

His body was tense and she felt the Power throb inside her again, followed by the feel of the Power in him reaching out. "What?"

"My sword. Is it in the ground?"

She lifted her head and glanced back towards his sword. So his sword had a name. Tetsusaiga. But why would he ask…She looked at the sword again, the blade half buried into the ground where she had placed it earlier. "Yes."

"Thank…thank you."

He seemed relieved from that but as he glanced up; she noticed the look on his face. Even weak he was fierce; the set of concentration on his face…the look on his face was cold. She noticed the feel of his arm around her again. He wasn't holding her against him for the pleasure of it alone—it was protective. Her chest pulsed again, a deep, hard dark feeling. She lifted her head and followed the direction of his gaze.

She looked beyond his sword and the barrier surrounding them pulsed as a root like hand slithered against its side. The arm sizzled as it made contact with the barrier.

"Kagome…"

Her heart gave a jolt and the Power inside her pulsed again, aching in her body.

"Kagome…"

The voice came again, murmuring her name, echoing in her ears. The Jewel pulsed again, in time with the voice before the Power inside her grew—darkened. She heard Inuyasha curse and then felt his hands curling around her upper arms, shaking her. "Don't listen." He snapped out.

Her eyelids flickered as Inuyasha rose to his knees beside her and she drew in a sharp breath. He was so pale!

"When I remove Tetsusaiga, stay behind me."

She lifted her head, throwing up a mind block hard and fast. She heard a deep male chuckle from outside the barrier. There, a man came out from the shadows. He was beautiful. Long black hair flowed around him. His eyes were dark, so dark they were pitch black themselves. Almost as if they were bottomless pits. She pressed a hand against the center of her chest. The Jewel was reacting to him, as if afraid of him but at the same time drawn to him—that was where the dark feeling was coming from. She sensed it then. He was beautiful but he was no human. She could sense the souls of hundreds of demons coming from him. So vile. He radiated power.

Her gaze jerked back to Inuyasha as stood and then staggered. She rose and heard him curse, felt his hands jerking the fire rat houri closed around her body.

"Keep it on." He muttered gruffly.

Obviously he didn't care about his own nakedness as he turned to face the man outside the barrier.

"If she wants it off, let her. It will only make things easier…" The mysterious stranger commented.

At those words she drew the houri tighter around her. His voice sent chills down her spine and she could feel his vile power pushing at the restrictions of her mind, trying to get past them. The stranger tested the barrier again and she heard Inuyasha growl.

"Who the fuck are you?"

* * *

><p>Inuyasha remembered the icy sensation that had incased his body for what seemed like years. He'd lain there, unable to die but unable to fully live either. He could think only think that that was how Sesshomaru had planned it. Leave his body burning from the cold until he died a slow death. He was going to kill the bastard himself. He hadn't wanted to die, at least not before seeing Kagome again. And then, after the cold had nearly torn him apart, he was warm again.<p>

But he hadn't been able to relish in the warmth.

His chest hurt from whatever Kagome had sent into him. The energy had grown dark and he had felt the danger gathering around them. The two of them. He hadn't expected to wake up to warmth, least of all the feel of Kagomes naked body against his own. He knew she was the reason he was still alive. Sesshomaru wasn't going to like that. Not at all. Somehow Kagome had learned of Tetsusaiga's barrier and if not for her placing the sword there—whenever the hell she had done so—he had the feeling he would have been dead by now. What he felt was vile and evil. _Evil_. Pure, soul defiling evil. It came from the man watching them through black bottomless eyes, trying to find a way past the Tetsusaiga's barrier.

"Who the fuck are you?" He bit out again.

The demon man wasn't interested in him, Inuyasha was sure of that. He didn't like the way the demon was looking at Kagome. His interests was all for Kagome and from the look, it wasn't sweet and innocent.

"I am…Naraku. Whatever you have done, half-demon, you've changed everything. Thank you…"

The smile sent chills down his spine and Inuyasha took a step forward and staggered. He cursed. Dammit, he was weaker than he'd thought. The wound that had been in his chest was healed but it still ached from the inside. And the center of his chest was drawn to the vile power that Naraku cast out. He glanced down as Kagome wrapped her arms around him, her body pressed against his side. "Get back. What the hell do you think you're doing?"

"You can barely stand." Kagome took his weight. She didn't fail to notice that he instantly kept most of his weight off her but he didn't push her away.

"Don't you dare leave my side when I remove Tetsusaiga. When I do, the barrier will be gone." He rarely used Tetsusaiga. Kagome wouldn't understand. Something was seriously wrong for him to draw the sword.

Kagome nodded, not once doubting what he said. It was instinct to keep close to him. She wouldn't deny that the man, Naraku, frightened her. She felt Naraku's gaze on her again and shifted her gaze to him. "What do you want?"

"You, Kagome…"

His words were soft, sending a chill down her spine, trying to force the fear deeper…she wanted…

"Dammit, Kagome. Don't listen to him."

She jerked as Inuyasha spoke, her mind coming out of the daze she'd been in. Dear God. She hadn't even realized. That alone was how strong Naraku was. She hadn't even realized he was compelling her again. She knew instinctively it wasn't her he just wanted. He wanted the Power of the Jewel.

"No thanks are in order."

Kagome felt Inuyasha's arm curl around her waist as she clung to his side. She felt him tense as he gripped his sword and ripped it from the ground. Her eyes widened as the sword transformed into a massive fanged sword. She could feel the pulsing energy, the power flowing from the sword. Then the barrier dropped. Naraku smiled and rushed at her—

"_Windscar!"_

Kagome heard Inuyasha roar just as his arm tightened around her, keeping her clamped against his side as he swung the giant sword. She turned her head as an explosion rocked the ground, hurtling towards Naraku. The massive power that erupted from the sword shocked her. The force of it actually had Inuyasha sliding back, his feet digging for purchase in the ground.

More than her own shock, she noticed the shock and disbelief that marked Narakus face as he dodged to the side but not even he could escape an attack that close unscathed. She sucked in a sharp breath as Naraku's body came into view. Only half was left. But his body was mutating, chunks of flesh spurting out to reform.

"Oh my God—"

"Shit, Kagome—!" Inuyasha roared.

A ball of dark energy threw them apart. She could feel the rage pouring from Naraku and it was so strong, the aura so evil that she never even saw him coming. His arm snaked around her wrist, jerking her up against his body. His right hand lifted over her head, his fingers slightly curled. He stared down at her, his lips moving but she couldn't make out what he was saying. But she felt it. He kept her flush against him, chanting and she could feel the pulsing energy in her body flying up. Oh God. He'd draw out the Power of the Energy and then take it. And her life. She knew once all of the Power was drained from her body she would have to Mate again but it wouldn't be like before. The Prophecy would only allow _one_ person to fulfill it. No matter if he was good or evil. There would be no turning back. Naraku, he was fully evil.

She pushed purifying energy through her hands, searing the material of his clothes and he hissed but didn't stop his chanting. Her eyes darkened in fear as the power bubbled higher, her mouth tingling. She saw the look of satisfaction on his face as he leaned in—

A slash of yellow/green energy slashed through Narakus hand and she stared in horror as his hand fell off, cut cleanly from his arm. She jerked back, straight into Inuyashas arms.

"You will die, demon."

Sesshomaru landed in front of her, flexing his fingers. His voice was calm—cold.

"Not tonight." Naraku chuckled and then his body hunched over, his spores opening to release a purple miasma.

"Don't breathe it in! It's a demonic miasma!" Kagome called out to Sesshomaru, clamping her hand over her nose and mouth. The miasma was thick, making it difficult to breathe and see but she knew why Naraku had done it.

He was gone.

She knew Sesshomaru would have gone after Naraku but he wouldn't leave her alone—not with Inuyasha. And as Sesshomaru turned, taking in her appearance, his gaze moved to Inuyasha.

"Inuyasha…how are you still alive?" Not once had he changed tone of voice. His voice was still cold, so calm. No regret of his past actions. And from the look of him, he planned on repeating them.

* * *

><p>(Ohhhhhhhhhh! Sorry, no sex scene. Not yet anyways. =P Thank you all for the reviews! I KNOW you all were expecting a sex scene and because of that, I just couldn't do it. This chapter would have been too predictable. I just thought I'd make you all suffer. MUHAHAHHA! But thank you! Review!)<p> 


	13. Chapter 13

13

Kagome would have answered Sesshomaru's question or at least, she liked to think that she would have but she never had the chance. Sesshomaru rushed at Inuyasha and in response, Inuyasha lifted his sword. If she hadn't been so close to Sesshomaru she knew she wouldn't have been able to stop him. She didn't know what the outcome might have been but that didn't matter. She lurched to the side and blocked Sesshomaru, her hands slamming his right one up as he released the demonic poison in his fingers. They slashed up, cutting through the tree limbs overhead.

"No, Sesshomaru! Stop!" Kagome clenched her teeth, staring up into Sesshomaru's calm façade. He was far from happy with her involvement. "Dammit, Sesshomaru. You almost killed him once. I won't let you do it again."

"I had good reason, Kagome. Now move." Sesshomaru didn't once look down at her. His stormy amber eyes were fixed on Inuyasha.

"There could never be a good reason for what you did. Inuyasha is no more evil than you are and because of that, you cannot kill him."

But Sesshomaru knew it was more than that. Kagome didn't realize it but something had formed between her and Inuyasha. Sesshomaru could see it. Somehow, something had happened between the two. Kagome was fighting for Inuyasha's life. The bond was small but it was enough to make Sesshomaru uneasy. Inuyasha should have died, long before Kagome had reached him. He knew that not even her spiritual powers were that strong. She couldn't bring someone back from the dead. Inuyasha shifted and instantly Sesshomaru lowered his gaze to Inuyasha's chest. A hiss forced its way past his lips.

He realized then, the extent of the damage between them. Between Kagome and the Jewel. Kagome was still his Mate but somehow a section of the Power had been transferred to Inuyasha. That was how he had done it. That was how Inuyasha was still alive.

"Damn you, Inuyasha. Do you know what you've done?" Sesshomaru bit out. That explained the ache in his chest, the redness. It explained the weakness he had felt. And it explained the demon that had nearly taken the Power from Kagome. The Power of the Jewel was severed between the three of them. That alone was reason enough to kill Inuyasha but he knew that wouldn't make the Jewel whole again. There was a way to retrieve the Power but he didn't know how. But he would soon enough.

"What I've done? God, you're such a bastard. Why don't you _tell her?_" Sesshomaru had made a mistake in trying to kill him. Sesshomaru's last words to him had said enough. Inuyasha had never known because when Kagome had been born into this world, he had been sealed to that damn tree. Otherwise, he wouldn't have known he was one of the Chosen. The thought was there, that if he hadn't been sealed to that tree, Kagome could have been his. She could have been his Mate.

That explained—it had to—how he knew Sesshomaru wasn't her Mate. No, that wasn't exactly right. He knew the Prophecy said four men had been chosen for her. One of them would Mate her. That would make sense why he wanted her. Any one of those four could have been her Mate. The feeling he had of Sesshomaru not being her Mate was akin to jealousy. That explained it—that was the only explanation that made sense. He still wanted Kagome, there was no changing that. It made sense for him to want her now. Too bad she wasn't his. Too bad he didn't care.

He stumbled and cursed himself for his weakness. Faintly he heard Sesshomaru bite out Kagomes name and then he felt her small, warm arms encircle his body, holding him up. Kagome lifted her head, staring Sesshomaru down. "The damage has been done. I didn't mean for it to happen, you know that, Sesshomaru. But I won't let you kill him. There has to be a way…" Around the Prophecy. Not changing it, but something that could bring things back together. The power was separated between them. The fragment of energy in Inuyasha's body was small but it was still a part of the Jewel.

"The Old Priestess knows much of this."

Kaede.

Sesshomaru was right. Kagome could think of no other person that she could talk to. And could think of no other person that could help Inuyasha. Kaede knew more about the Prophecy than she did but not only that but she was practiced in herbs and medicines. Inuyasha was weak even with the Power of the Jewel. Sesshomaru's blade had done that to him.

"Leave him."

"I will not." Kagome gave a small shake of her head.

"I will not tolerate him in my home—"

"Our home and I was not planning on taking him there. Kaede will care for him."

* * *

><p>Sesshomaru refused to leave her alone with Inuyasha. She was, after all, still his Mate and Inuyasha threatened that by being alive. Even more so by the fragment of Power in his chest. Kagome had never seen Sesshomaru so intent, so cold. The moment Kaede had taken them in Sesshomaru had snapped out orders for clothing to be brought to Kagome. Seeing her in Inuyasha's red houri insulted him and the scent alone was enough to drive him mad. Kagome would bore no other males scent but his.<p>

He wasn't kind in his orders either. He refused to leave her alone period.

"Shut up, Sesshomaru." Kagome finally snapped and sank down onto the pallet across from Kaede.

"He's right, child." Kaede murmured. "It's not safe for you to be out alone. Day or night. You must always have someone with great Power with you. You are powerful in your own right but whoever this demon is, he is after the Power of the Jewel. Somehow he is able to summon its Power from you."

The only reason Sesshomaru had finally left was because he had all but decreed that Miroku would guide her home. He hated the monk because he was human but he trusted in his powers enough to leave her in his care.

"I do not know why the Jewel has not fully healed him. You sealed his wounds but his body was dealt a death blow." Kaede shook her head, folding her hands in her lap. "You said some of the Jewel was transferred to his body. Tell me, Kagome…how was the Power transferred to his body?" Kaede lifted her head, her old knowledgeable eyes seeing too much. But Kagome, she could read nothing from the old woman.

What could she say? They were alone in Kaede's hut so she knew no one could hear their conversation but still, she was reluctant. "I kissed him." That was the truth. He hadn't kissed her, not until afterward. He had told her to kiss him and she had. And then it had started.

"Do you care for this half-demon, child?"

Kagome stared at Kaede. Why would she ask that? "No." The answer was hesitant.

"I see."

"Kaede, tell me what to do."

"You were raised on this Prophecy, Kagome. You know everything there is." Or she should. But there was something that Kagome didn't understand. Something that she was missing and Kaede knew she couldn't tell her. Kagome had to learn that on her own. "But tell me, what do you know of the Prophecy?"

"I've told you everything I know." Kagome frowned. She had hoped Kaede could give her the answers that she needed but she wasn't. "Kaede—"

"I can give every herbal medicine I know but his body will not fully heal until the Power is removed from his body completely or fully instated in him."

And Kagome knew which one she would have to choose. "How do I retrieve the Power?"

"The same way it was given, I presume."

Kagome closed her eyes, her heart clenching at that. Of course. Everything came with a price. "Are you sure there is nothing more you can tell me?" She felt as if she was missing something but she couldn't figure out what it was.

"No, child, I cannot. The Prophecy is for you. This is something that you must learn on your own." She should have known this already but for some reason, she hadn't. "But I warn you, child, if the Power is not removed by the night he turns human the Power will slowly started to drain him of his life until there is nothing left. The Power cannot reside in a human that is not of the Prophecy."

Kaede knew nothing of this half-demon Inuyasha but it was obvious he was one of the Chosen. The Jewel had been drawn to his body. As to whether or not he was Kagomes true Mate, Kaede didn't know. Only Kagome would know that. Kaede knew Sesshomaru was not kagome's true Mate. She could think of no other reason for the successful Mating other than the fact that Sesshomaru was so powerful a demon. Powerful enough to force the Mating. But her Mate was still out there, if even still alive.

Kaede wanted to tell Kagome but she knew she could not. Obviously Kagome did not know the Prophecy fully. She didn't know the true extent of the four Chosen men. Kagome had to learn that on her own. If the Jewel came into the wrong hands and then her life was returned to her by the wrong Chosen…she would die.

With her Mated to Sesshomaru, Kaede knew Kagome's human body could not hold out forever. She would die one way or another unless her Mate revealed himself. She wanted nothing more than to tell Kagome…but she couldn't.

* * *

><p>(This chapter almost killed meh! It was so hard to write. I'm sorry! I hope you enjoy this chapter as well. Please review! In the meantime, go check out my new one shot 'Finally A Happy Ending'!)<p> 


	14. Chapter 14

14

What Sesshomaru hadn't told Kaede was that Inuyasha was one of the four Chosen. It made things more difficult for her because she knew Sesshomaru wanted Inuyasha dead. He was only being considerate because of Kagome. It didn't surprise her that Sesshomaru cared so little for his brother. After all, he hated most humans, with Kagome as the only exception so it was no wonder he hated his half-brother, who was half human.

Kaede stared at Inuyasha, narrowing her eyes in annoyance as he spewed out the contents he'd just been given to drink.

"Geez, what the hell did you put in this? Are you trying to finish me off?" Inuyasha threw the cup across the hut and wiped his arm across his mouth, cursing at the acrid taste in his mouth.

"No, Inuyasha. Now you'll have to drink another cup full. That is a special herb remedy that will help your body to rest." Kaede sighed. Inuyasha was nothing like his brother. If anything, he was more like a pouting child.

"I am not drinking that shit—"

"You will or I'll put this back on you."

Inuyasha broke out in a sweat as he stared at the bead necklace in Kaede's hands. Hell no. He did not want that back around his neck. She had called it "Beads of Subjugation". He had refused her first offer of help and had almost stormed out of the hut when she had slipped the necklace around his neck and then the next thing he knew he was being slammed face first in the ground. He hadn't been able to move for a good few seconds and that wasn't all. He hadn't even been able to remove the damn thing. Kaede had removed the necklace but only under the condition that he receive her care.

"Fine." He muttered. It was humiliating being controlled by an old hag but he'd do it. Until he could get ahold of that necklace and do away with it.

"Tell me, Inuaysha. Do you know of the Chosen four?"

Inuyasha snorted and pinched his nose as he swallowed the medicine. Tasted like piss for God's sake. "Ah! That shit is nasty." He wiped his mouth again. "Yea, I know all about that crap. Why?"

"Are you one of the Chosen?"

She was a nosy old hag. He wasn't sure how to answer her. He could just lie to her. "Yea and Sesshomaru's not her Mate."

"Hmm."

"What?"

"I've known that Sesshomaru is not her Mate. Do you not find it odd that he was able to Mate her?"

"Not until recently. In case you haven't noticed, I haven't been around the last 50 years. That bitch Kikyo sealed me to that tree."

"My sister was not the kindest of women." Kaede murmured.

"You're telling me." Inuyasha snorted and rubbed at his chest. His body should have healed itself by now.

"Inuyasha, are you Kagome's Mate?"

His head jerked up. "What the fuck?"

She ignored his language. "Are you her Mate?"

He didn't answer right away. The thought hadn't even occurred to him. Was he? The possibility was there. He was one of the Chosen. No, he was wrong in that. He was one of the four Chosen but he knew that between the four Chosen that only one was her true Mate. There was no 'if' or 'maybe' in that. But was he? "I would know if she was my Mate, right?"

"Yes."

Disappointment filled him. Then he wasn't her Mate. He didn't _know._ He grunted and lay back on the pallet and crossed his arms beneath his head, tired all of a sudden. "Then I'm not her Mate." His brows furrowed as he stared up at the ceiling. That would leave two others. He'd kill that psychotic bastard Naraku if he was her Mate. He didn't give a damn because that fucker was too evil for someone like Kagome. Someone so vile would defile her sweet innocence—everything that she was. He hadn't even realized how much he wanted Kagome until Kaede had asked him that damned question. His ears flickered as Kaede stood up but he ignored her.

Kaede stared down at him for a moment before she turned and exited the hut. She shook her head. Denial was a powerful thing.

She just hoped the two could come to grips with their destiny before it was too late. It was true, what she had said to Kagome. The Power would slowly take Inuyasha's life once he turned human unless something happened to stop the flow. Inuyasha was indeed Chosen—he was her Mate. But he couldn't survive the Power of the Jewel without Kagome. He had to have Kagome as Sesshomaru had, for so long now. Bonded. If not, it would take a miracle to save him…

* * *

><p>Kagome lifted her head to the night sky. It had only been two days since she had seen Inuyasha. Two days since Kaede had said the Power of the Jewel would start to drain Inuyasha of his life's essence. She hadn't even realized the full moon was so close. And he would be human. She had only seen him in his human form once.<p>

She pressed her hand over her chest. "Do I let him die?" She whispered. She wanted—needed—the Jewel to answer. It would be so much easier to let him die so the Power would be restored to her. The Jewel was silent, leaving her mind in turmoil. Was this her decision to make?

The Power of the Jewel had faded and already there had been attacks from all sides. Other demons had sensed the Power of the Jewel. They were useless though. They couldn't call to the Jewel or possess the Power. And they didn't stand a chance against Sesshomaru. With the Prophecy crippled there was no need for him to take her. But she still had to purify the Jewel.

She had expected Kagura to show any moment but there was no sign of her. Sesshomaru should go to her…but he didn't and she knew the reason was to keep watch over her. She balled her fist, pressing her hand against the center of her chest. "Damn you, what do I do? Do I make this decision on my own?" She whispered.

'_Yes…'_

Her eyes slid open, the look in her eyes sad. Nothing about the Jewel would ever be easy. This was no different. And as she stopped outside of the hut Inuyasha resided in, she realized she was scared. Frightened that she would walk in and see his dead body. Night had fallen and the moon was fall. He was human. It wasn't the middle of the night. She couldn't sleep and dawn would break the sky in a matter of hours, even less. She stilled her breath and pushed open the flap and stepped into the semi darkness.

A fired had burned to embers, leaving a soft glow. Her nails dug into her palms as she sank to her knees beside him. He looked so peaceful. His hair was long and dark, almost pitch black. But he was so pale. Her hand shook as she placed her hand against his chest and felt the telltale rise of his chest. Her eyes slid closed in relief. He was alive. She realized what her decision would be then. She wouldn't let him die. She could withdraw the Power from his body without taking that rout.

But she knew Kaede had told the truth. The Jewel was draining him of life. He was pale and the look on his face was one of weakness. She had felt the heat coming off his body but it wasn't as warm as it had been before.

"I've made my choice." She whispered.

She held her hand out over the center of his chest, splaying it wide so her palm was directed over the energy. She closed her eyes and felt the pulse of the power inside her. She concentrated, calling softly—mentally—to the power inside of him. She could feel it gathered in the center of his chest. Waiting. So close to the surface…She frowned and opened her eyes, confusing deep in the set. She could feel the fragment of Power beneath his skin but it would go no further.

"…_the same way it was given…"_

She removed her hand and dropped it into her lap, staring down at his prone form. The Power had been drawn through their kiss. She understood. She moved closer, close enough so that her knees brushed his ribs. She leaned over him and her hand shook as she touched his hair, the silky black strands and then closed the distance between them, their lips. She closed her eyes, waiting for the power to fuel up through them but somehow she knew it wasn't going to happen this way. Their last kiss hadn't been like this.

She leaned further over him and dropped her hands to rest on either side of his shoulders. She didn't straddled him, merely kept her place beside him. Her body pressed down against his chest as she pressed her lips against his again. She remembered how he had kissed her _then_ and flicked her tongue over his lips and pushed past. She wouldn't deny the strangeness of the situation when he lay unmoving beneath her. But the Jewel was a powerful thing, the power passionate in its own right. To retrieve that power she would have to sacrifice something. A kiss to equal in that power was hers given. She moved her lips over his softly, her movements gentle. Her tongue slid inside his mouth tentatively and she felt his lips slide against hers in answer, moving...

Her chest restricted and she started to pull away, rising up over him. Her heart fluttered as his eyes slid open. They were no longer golden but a deep, dark brown. "Kagome…don't…leave me. Not yet." She felt his hands slide up her back, his arms circling around her in a gentle embrace. His words were so low she almost didn't hear them. "Let me hold you a little while longer…I can _feel_ when you're near…I can breathe again…"

She didn't understand what that meant but she couldn't deny him that small request. But she knew if he had been in his half demon form, he wouldn't have said those words. He was human and human emotions controlled so easily. They made one weak, especially when you weren't used to them.

She felt one of his hands slide higher up her back, gently pulling her back down and she didn't resist. Not even when he whispered, "Again, Kagome. The pain stops when you're near…when you kiss me…"

Even that, she didn't understand the meaning. But she kissed him again. He somehow felt different as a human. He was gentler—more human than any other she had ever met. She sank against him and felt his hands slide into her hair as the kiss deepened and she felt the gentle thrust of his tongue in her mouth, sliding over her own, teasing her. She waited for the Power to flow back up into her, waited to feel the pulse of energy from his body as he kissed her but she didn't. She didn't feel anything but his body and his hands. Didn't feel anything but the warmth of his kiss.

His hands moved and then she felt him tugging her more fully over him. She had felt the weakness in him when he had touched her before but the hollow weakness in his hands had dimmed. She fell against him and sighed, the sound trapped between their lips. And still, there was nothing. No flare of Power, no tingle or pulse. The kiss was slow and gentle. There was no hurry between them. It was just that—a slow kiss that was more passionate than anything she had ever felt. She could kiss him forever like this.

His hands moved again, sliding down her back and then up before they shifted, sliding over the sides of her ribs and then back around to span against the small of her back. He pulled her more fully over him till she was over him, her body aligned over his. Stronger than before. He lifted himself up, probing himself up on his elbows and then his hands were cupping her hips and he was moving them over, turning her onto her side, closer to her back. She pulled her lips away, her heart pounding as she pulled back—

He shuddered and groaned softly. "Don't. Don't leave…I can _feel _when you're near me…the pain stops…Don't…leave…" He muttered again.

She shook her head and ran her fingers through his hair. "I'm not." She cupped his neck and sank the last few inches onto her back. He followed, the weight of his body covering hers, his hair a dark curtain around them as she kissed him again. He had been in pain and she hadn't even known it. Somehow, she eased that pain, being near him did. His lips moved against hers, his tongue sliding over hers in a teasing caress that had her lips clinging to his. And all they did was kiss. A kiss that had her heart pounding. A kiss that had her body hot, a kiss that left her whole body aching. Through it all, she felt no flare of power.

Why?

She soon didn't care. She couldn't think enough to care as one hand spanned her ribcage through the layers of her kimono before slowly sliding up. Her heart leapt in her throat as his hand slid over the slope of her breast and then he cupped her flesh, weighing it in his hand. Oh God. She turned her head, just inches, so that so that her lips pressed against the corner of his and she sucked in a sharp breath. He squeezed and she shuddered beneath him. She hadn't known…thought…she hadn't even imagined.

He turned his head and she expected him to capture her lips again but they shifted course and moved along the curve of her chin before dipping lower. His nudged her head back with his forehead and followed the line of her neck, his tongue dipping into the indention at the base. "Inu…yasha…" Kagome whispered, her hands fisting in his hair as his hand tightened again and then his thumb moved, sliding over her nipple through the clothing. She hadn't imagined a touch could leave her breathless, that a touch could be so hot. It was indecent but so sinfully hot, the feeling one of pleasure. He squeezed her breast again and this time, she moaned. Her eyes slit open as his hand slid up, moving from the breast he had tortured with his touch. His fingers nudged the side flap of her top and then his hand was sliding inside, touching her bare flesh, sliding over her collar bone.

Her throat worked convulsively as she swallowed, trying to survive through his touch. He was going to touch her. And she didn't want to stop him. Sesshomaru had never touched her like this, never even kissed her like this. She had known Miroku and Sango had something different but what she had with Inuyasha now was ecstasy. She hadn't known a mere touch could have her wanting to scream. She almost did scream when he cupped her bare breast in his hand beneath her clothing.

She shuddered beneath him, her breast near overflowing his hand. Her nipple was hard and she could feel it stabbing his palm as he squeezed and pushed the flesh upward. She almost begged him to touch her again he moved his hand but then he was grabbing her hands and tugging her up onto her knees. He grasped the tie in her kimono and before she realized it he was pushing the material off her shoulders. Without warning he leaned down and closed his lips around her nipple, cupping her breast in his hand and pushing it up. She cried out, the sound low, muffled as she fell back.

He followed and hooked his forefinger in material still covering her other shoulder and tugged it back. She sucked in a sharp breath as his hand cupped her other breast seconds after baring it. She shuddered as his teeth nipped her nipple and with the other, he tugged, two fingers pulling before he was squeezing again, kneading her flesh. Oh God, it was so good...so hot…

He rolled his hips against hers, grinding down and she felt him. Felt the thick, heavy length of him throbbing between her legs, pressing directly against her burning core. She moaned, unable to hold the sound back as he abruptly switched to the other breast, kissing the engorged nipple and sucking it into his mouth. He tugged the kimono further off her shoulders with both hands till the material was trapped halfway down her arms and beneath her.

He'd been naked from the waist up when she had come in so when she braced her hands against his chest, all she felt was hot, hard heated muscle. She moaned in denial against the restriction confining her movements. She wanted to touch him more. She almost knocked him off her as she jerked her arms free but he was back in an instant, cupping her breast, teasing both nipples till she was biting her lip against the moans rising up. As her hands moved over his chest he came up over her fully and kissed her again. His hands seemed to be drawn to her breasts each time.

She didn't mind.

Kagome moaned in denial when one of his hands dropped, fingers splayed wide over her stomach. She tore her lips away. "No…touch me. Please." She whispered, begging. She wanted his hand on her again, cupping her breast, leaving her breathless.

"I will." He whispered, his hand slowly sliding lower. She didn't realize his intent until he was pushing his hand past the restriction of the kimono skirt at her waist and then he was cupping her bare flesh. She arched up, moaning deep in her throat as his fingers pressed up against the hot, wet heat of her body. He pressed the heel of his hand against her, rubbing between her thighs in slow, gentle movements. His fingers grew slick and her thighs tightened around his hips. Her eyes slid closed as she felt one finger dip down before slowly pushing into her body. She tensed beneath him, her hands sliding over his shoulders. Her nails dug into his skin as his hand shifted and his finger curled inside her, teasing before pulling back.

She expected him to slide his finger back in but his hand slid back up, his finger leaving a cool, damp trail up her body till he cupped her breast again. His finger circled her nipple, damping the flesh before he leaned down and sucked it into his mouth. She cried out as his tongue swirled around it, lapping at her nipple, sucking her body's juices from it. He stopped then and released her nipple with a pop and leaned back, his arms stretched. He stared down at her, the look on his face pained.

"Touch me." His voice was hoarse. Inuyasha was begging.

Kagome knew what he wanted. She'd be a fool to say she didn't want to touch him, to feel him in her hand. She reached down, her arm brushing his stomach as she cupped him through his pants. He arched into her hand, his hand falling back but even as he did that, groaning, he shook his head. "No, touch me _here_." His fingers curled around her wrist and he jerked her hand back but not away. He jerked her hand down his pants so that she met bare flesh, her fingers circling the hot, thick long length of his erection. Her fingers closed around him, slim and eager to feel, to touch.

He was bigger than she had thought and as she moved her hand up and down his shaft in a slow glide she watched the expression on his face. A look of tight pain crossed his features but she knew what he felt was far from pain. He throbbed in her hand and she swept her thumb over the tip and felt an answering wetness.

"Kagome." Inuyasha groaned out, rocking his hips into her eager hand.

It was hard to believe that his body could have something so hard but so soft at the same time. So strong. She squeezed him, testing and then stroked him again—experimenting. And he fell against her and kissed her. She arched, her lips opening for the slow thrust of his tongue. She was burning, her body on fire, so hot and wet that she knew she'd never be the same. His hips rocked slowly, his cock feeling her hand as she stroked him over and over.

The kiss rocked her world just as much as the feel of him in her hand. Her lips tingled, her tongue tasting his, burning, flowing up—

She jerked her lips back, panic filling her eyes. Oh God, not now. She stared up at him, the passion filled glaze in his eyes dark eyes staring down at her. She'd felt the Power flowing up, drawn by Inuyasha—Finally. But it had been wrong. It was _her_ Power, the Power bottled up inside her body that was coming up to him again.

Kaede had been wrong.

She felt his hand cup the back of her head, drawing her lips back against his. A shudder wracked her body and she turned her head to the side, blocking the kiss she would have begged for. He couldn't. She couldn't.

"Kagome…" Inuyasha groaned out, his lips moving against the corner of hers.

"No…I can't. Please." Kagome whispered and gripped his hair, the dark strands sliding over her skin. She pushed his head down, felt his lips sliding over the slope of her breast before he was taking control of the movement, capturing her nipple in his mouth. He thrust into her hand again, growing harder—bigger, as his tongue and teeth teased her. His hands lowered, his fingers curving over skirt that covered her hips. He tugged, forcing the material to slide off but it tangled around her legs before he lifted himself slightly, catching one leg with his foot and jerking it down.

His body pulsed against hers, a hard, deep vibe.

Her eyes slid open as he pulled his hips back and his cock slid from her grasp. His fingers curled around her wrist, pulling her hand out of the way and then she felt his hips settle between her thighs. She lifted her lids as she felt the hot length of his cock settle between her thighs, the thick mushroomed head resting against the wet core of her body. Her mind screamed a warning and she knew she should stop him but she couldn't remember why. This was it. But still he held there, his body trembling. He had braced himself over her, his arms stretched so he was partially levered off her, his hands planted flat against the ground.

Still, he waited. His body throbbed again, pulsing hard against hers. "Kagome."

She lifted her gaze to his face when he spoke her name. He stared down at her, his dark hair falling around them. She could feel his heavy cock barely pressing inside her…

"Kagome." He whispered her name again, his body tensing as another deep hard pulse jolted through his body. What was he waiting for? Light filtered in from the door behind them slowly and she tilted her head and then turned it, watching as it spread across the floor, the sunlight sliding up his hand and up his body. She sucked in a sharp breath as his body pulsed again and then his hair flared into the silver white right above her, his body taking on the form of his half-demon side once again.

And then he thrust.

Something inside her, in her very soul, snapped. She could sense it. Something breaking—fading. But all she could feel was the hard, deep thrust that had her cumming in one stroke.

* * *

><p>(Two chapters in a row, eh? I'll just leave you all hanging on this. I've spent the last two or three hours writing these last two chapters and I need a break so I can get the next chapter finished tomorrow morning. =P I hope you all enjoyed this and review!)<p> 


	15. Chapter 15

15

Inuyasha had never known such agonizing brutal pleasure in his life. The feel of Kagome's body around his, squeezing him like a tight fist was hot and fierce, tightening his entire body. He shuddered and swore he felt something move beneath his skin, igniting his very blood so that it boiled. He arched over her, hunching his shoulders as she convulsed beneath him, her sweet pussy tightening and rippling around his cock. Nothing he could have planned, nothing he could have imagined could ever stand to this. He hadn't imagined she'd be so tight, so hot and fiery, so wet, gripping him. Hell, he hadn't expected to feel her cumming around him in one thrust, either.

He hadn't expected to be buried balls deep in her body by the time the sun rose, for that matter. He'd been waiting for the moon to rise. The New Moon. Needless to say, he hated being human. He felt weak and it left him weak. But that hadn't prepared him for the fragility of his body, the weak, watered down muscles that had seized as the moon rose higher. It hadn't happened quickly. The weakness had over-taken his body slowly. It was taking its toll through the entire day but he hadn't realized the extent until he had turned human. It had felt as if his very life was bring drained. The need to sleep had been over whelming but he'd been terrified if he succumbed to that he wouldn't wake up again.

That had been utterly humiliating. Fear wasn't something he was familiar with, at least, not in the sense that humans were. As a half demon, he didn't give a damn what he did and to whom but as his body had grew sluggish and his heart slow, he had felt fear. And confusion. Why was his body breaking down on him? Then his mind had started to follow. He hadn't been able to think. The darkness in his mind had been swallowing him. His chest had ached, his bones sore, his limbs almost lifeless. His lungs felt as if something was crushing them but with a slow, gentle pressure that was gradually making him aware of the fact that his breathing wasn't normal.

It had felt like a slow almost painless death taking him over…

Until he'd felt _her._ He hadn't seen her but Inuyasha swore even in human form he had known it was Kagome in the hut with him. Her soft, subtle scent had wafted over to him and he had felt the pressure on his lungs ease. The frailness in his bones had lifted when she'd kissed him. For some reason, Kagome had kissed him. Just that one touch and he had felt the strength in his human body return. Her body had been hot against his and the taste…Like sweet honey. Her skin, her tongue, her smell. Everything about her was distinctive with that smell and taste. When he had finally covered her body with his and felt the revelation of her hand on his cock, he had nearly been driven out of his mind with the need to take her. He hadn't wanted to take her as a human though.

And he had known he would take her then. They had gone too far to stop now.

Taking her while he was human wasn't enough. He wasn't going to take her in his demon form, either. He wasn't human and he wasn't fully demon. What he was was a half demon. That was _who_ he was and he was going to take her when he was _himself._ So he had waited, barely restraining himself.

It took everything he had not to thrust into her hard and fast as she lay beneath him. He waited until the tremors milking his cock faded before he gripped her chin and tilted her head back. Her eyelashes glistened with tears and in that moment, he had never felt so powerful and so connected to her. But seeing those tears in her eyes left him weak, his heart wrenching in agony.

"God, Kagome, did I hurt you?" Inuyasha whispered, his body tensing. He would rather kill himself than ever hurt her.

"No…I just…" She shook her head and a tear leaked from the corner of her right eye. "I'm sorry."

The thought that she might regret this tore at his heart but somehow, he knew she wasn't sorry about _this_. Something else was hurting her, putting those tears in her eyes. "Tell me." He leaned down and kissed her softly but she turned away and his lips met her cheek instead. He caught her chin again and tilted her face back to his, forcing her to meet his gaze. He leaned down again and this time refused to let her move. He _had _to kiss her. He refused to let her turn away again. He needed this.

Kagome tensed as his lips locked with hers. She waited imperiously for him to finish what he hadn't even known he'd started. No, she couldn't fully blame this on him. She was partner to this. But as his lips moved on hers, his tongue seeking entrance—deepening the kiss—there was no flare up of power like the last. And she realized—_knew_—that it was too late. Inuyasha now held that Power, deep inside his body, and while she was still the Protector of it she could do nothing against it. Inuyasha was not her Mate and they were not Mated. She knew for the Power to be fully protected she would have to be fully Mated. This was a lost cause—and Damnation to the entire world. And it was her fault.

A sob rose up, twisting her insides and she heard Inuyasha curse above her. He cupped her face, his thumbs sliding through the tears on her cheeks. "No, Kagome. Not now. Not when I finally have you in my arms." He tilted her head back and through the haze of tears she was forced to meet his eyes.

Inuyasha waited until she was looking up at him before withdrawing his hips slowly and then sliding back in, thrusting in slowly till the head butted up inside her. She was tight, gripping his cock and he heard the telltale sound of her inhaling gently as he thrust. "That's it, Kagome. Just feel me." He whispered and repeated the movement, rocking his hips back before thrusting back in slowly, letting her feel every hard inch that separated her body. "Don't think about anything other than this. Nothing other than us." He couldn't stand the sight of her tears and he couldn't imagine why she was crying. It broke his heart. She wanted him—her body did. There was no denying that.

He felt her shudder beneath him and then a hiccup but she wasn't crying anymore. That didn't erase the pain from her eyes though, the lost, forlorn look that haunted her face. "Just feel me, Kagome. Feel us…nothing more." He whispered again, never releasing her face as he thrust again, sliding into her body gently. Again and again.

And her body was killing him. She was so tight and each thrust and drag of his shaft was pushing him damn near to completion. That didn't seem possible because he had always liked it fast and hard. He still did. But this…the slow movements—he had never wanted this until Kagome. This—he was making love to her. The thought jolted his mind. Love? So weak a human emotion. He'd experienced love before and it easily turned into hatred. They were one in the same. He cared for Kagome, he was sure of that. He lusted after her. But love? He thrust again and held deep in her body, his heavy cock throbbing inside her body. He dropped his head against her shoulder, his eyes sliding closed when he felt her arms wrap around his shoulders.

Kagome couldn't help it. She needed to touch him—more. She knew she should stop him before things progressed any further but she couldn't. She had to have him in her arms. He eased the pain inside her when she held him tight. She wished the pain would override the feel of his cock inside her, the heavy throb that teased her inner muscles but it didn't. Her entire body was centered there and he wasn't even moving. Now that he was inside her, it was too late to turn back. She _had_ to feel him.

"Inuyasha?" She clenched her fingers against the back of his skull, her hands tangling in his silky white hair.

"Yes?" His voice was low, almost as tortured as hers.

She didn't know what to say. How could she tell him? She needed him to move. The Protector of the Prophecy inside of her wanted to tell him to stop but the woman in her needed this more. She rocked her hips against his, just inches, sliding over the heavy cock inside her. He groaned, the sound vibrating against her shoulder before he withdrew his hips—finally—and rocked back in, thrusting deep.

Over and over, sliding over her sensitive flesh so that she wanted to cry out. She hadn't imagined that it could be like this. Sesshomaru had never made her feel like this. _This—_she hadn't even known existed. He rocked into her endlessly, his hips pumping into hers at a slow, steady speed. With every thrust he rubbed against her, causing her thighs to clench around his, hug him tighter to her. The pleasure was sweet and intense. She never released him, her arms staying tight around his shoulders even as his breathing grew ragged, matching her own. It wasn't long before she felt the pace of his thrusts change, growing longer, a little faster. Harder.

She shuddered as his hands shifted, sliding under her back and then his hands were cupping over her shoulders from beneath her. His fingers curled into her flesh, bracing against her as his thrusts hardened. She wanted to watch him but she couldn't. Her eyes slid closed as the pleasure spread through her body. With every thrust she heard him grunt and before she realized it he was pounding into her, the pleasure rising to a brutal, agonizing revelation of ecstasy. She cried out, unable to hold back the sound as he jerked down on her shoulders, forcing her body to meet his upward thrust. He repeated the movement, his hips working, short stroking between her thighs.

She could feel her body wounding tight, pushing harder against his and then she was exploding, her body climaxing around his. She cried out as her body tightened around his, milking the thick, thrusting length.

It didn't seem possible but he started thrusting into her harder, almost frantically. His body was slick against hers, covered in a fine sheen of sweat that slipped against hers. His damp hair swung back and forth, teasing her skin. All those sensations were driving him crazy. Her body, his cock, the need to cum. He growled, willing his body to cum now. It was killing him. His balls drew up, his cock hardened even further as he jerked her shoulders down, forcing her body down as he thrust inside her over and over. He arched over her, his head falling back as he felt his seed bursting up through his cock from his frenzied movements and then there was no holding back. He groaned as jet after jet of hot seed spewed out into her body, coating her insides, flooding her body through the roar in his ears.

The roar almost burst his eardrums, echoing through the hut before he realized what exactly that roar was. Who it came from. His head jerked up as he felt a pair of hands curl around his forearms from behind and then he was soaring backwards.

"_You fool! DO YOU REALIZE WHAT YOU'VE DONE?"_

Inuyasha broke through the side of the hut, splintering through the wall. He hit the ground hard, sliding back along the dirt and rubble four feet before he came to a hard, grueling stop. A growl rose up and he bared his teeth as Sesshomaru came at him, pure murder in his eyes. Inuyasha didn't give a damn about his nakedness. The bastard had manhandled him. Sesshomaru lunged and Inuyasha dodged him—easily.

"I warned you, Inuyasha. I told you to leave it alone. You've likely killed us all."

"What the fuck are you talking about?" Inuyasha dodged another blow and then side stepped one of the demonic glowing green poisons Sesshomaru sent his way.

"I told you that you had the Power to take the Jewel, you fool."

Apprehension dawned on Inuyasha. He stumbled and Sesshomaru took advantage. Inuyasha felt the blow to his cheek but he paid it no heed. No, it couldn't be. It wasn't possible. He knew Kagome held the Prophecy and the Power itself but he hadn't known…He glanced down and held out his hand and the Jewel appeared, floating above it, the Power radiant. Disbelief filled him as he stared at it and then looked up. Satisfaction filled his eyes. "I can take you out now, you egotistical bastard." He closed his hand around the Jewel—

"Inuyasha, no, you cannot use the Jewel without—!"

Inuyasha jerked halfway around as Kaede ran towards them. The light from the Jewel exploded in his hand, so bright he brought up his other hand to shield his eyes. His hand burned hot before the Power exploded. It momentarily blinded them all but they could still see as the Jewel burst into a fierce pink light and then split into four radiating rays of pink light and then they were shooting out—away from them and across the land. Separate directions.

"_You fool!"_ Sesshomaru roared. "I told you a half breed cannot tame the Power of the Jewel!"

Kaede stared at them, her heart heavy. The Bond between Sesshomaru and Kagome had been partially broken. Without being fully Mated to Inuyasha, she would still bare Sesshomaru's mark. And still be bound to him by the tiniest of threads. But she had given her body to her Mate—but they weren't Mated. She had tried to stop Inuyasha before he used the Jewel. He had to Mate with Kagome before he could control the Jewel. The corruption of the Prophecy was not the worst, though, Kaede knew. Something far worse had started.

The countdown for Kagome's life had begun.

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><p>(REVIEW! Hope you enjoyed. :])<p> 


	16. Chapter 16

16

"I told you no half-breed could control the Power." Sesshomaru gritted out. He was seething with fury. He should have realized what his body was feeling hours ago. The weak tug in the core of his body. He had felt as if someone was eating away at his soul—the tie between Kagome and him being stretched then. Not until the connection between them had broken abruptly had he realized. One moment he had felt her and then _nothing._ The Power that he'd grown accustomed to for so long now was absent and he _knew_. The bond between Kagome and him had been severed and there was only one thing that could have caused that.

For the first time in his life, Sesshomaru, The Great Demon Lord, had known fear. Fear for Kagome, the Prophecy and the world itself. The moment he'd reached the village he had smelled her. Kagome's scent was the same but it was mixed with sweat and sex. Arousal and the sweet smell of a female who had felt pleasure. And Inuyasha.

Kagome stepped between the two, her body wrapped in a thin robe that Kaede had given her. She held her hands between the two men, keeping them apart. Sesshomaru had the right to be angry, she would give him that. She couldn't deny what she had done and she wasn't even going to try. She wanted to feel remorse for what she had done but in spite of herself, she didn't felt no remorse, no regret. But she knew something terrible had happened. She was still connected to the Jewel and she could faintly feel the severed Power. The Power of the Jewel was no longer whole.

"The Power must be retrieved. Something so powerful _cannot _be left out in the world, not without Protection." Meaning her. The Jewel was never meant to be released unto the world. There were demons who would seek out that Power and no matter that the power itself would kill them because they were not Chosen, once they tried to use it, the Jewel would kill them and then that sinister energy would slowly begin to defile the Jewel, hollowing out the Jewel.

"We must retrieve what was lost—"

"No, Kagome, you cannot." Kaede cut her off softly, the look in her eyes downcast—sad.

Kagome turned, a frown on her lips. Her knees buckled as a sudden weakness took hold of body, seizing so that she couldn't stand. Inuyasha was there in an instant, catching her in his arms as he followed her to the ground, wrapping his arms around her.

Inuyasha felt his lips curl into a sharp, fire in his eyes as his head snapped up. "What the hell did you do old hag?"

"It was not I, Inuyasha." Kaede's words were soft but to Inuyasha and Sesshomaru, she made no sense. What the hell was that supposed to mean?

"What did you do, Inuyasha?" Sesshomaru clenched his fist, the weakness on Kagome's face leaving him colder than ever. He had never seen Kagome overcome by any weakness but the suddenness of that attack…

"What's wrong, Kagome?" Inuyasha asked softly.

Kagome didn't know how to answer that. She wasn't sure what had happened. She had felt a sudden weakness in her limbs and then her legs would no longer hold her. She shifted in his arms, testing her legs but the weakness was gone. She wanted to think she had imagined it but she knew she hadn't. The memory of that weakness was burned in her mind—she had felt near death but so far away at the same time. "I…I don't know…but I'm fine now."

"No, she's not."

They all glanced up as the cool, soft feminine voice came from above them. The wind rushed through the trees, swirling around them before Kagura appeared before them, landing on the ground gracefully. She stared down at Kagome and then shifted her gaze to Kaede.

"What the fuck do you want, Kagura?" Inuyasha snapped out.

"For you to get your act together." She retorted.

The tension was thick, making it hard to breath and Inuyasha did not like the silent communication he saw between the two females, Kagura and Kaede. The look Kagura sent him was one of pity and sympathy.

"You still don't have a clue, do you?"

The look on Sesshomaru's face was the same as Inuyasha's. Pissed and confused—both frightened for a woman they held dear for different reasons.

Inuyasha, as always, stated the obvious. "_What the HELL are you talking about?"_

"I cannot tell you, Inuyasha, what you should already know."

Inuyasha clenched his teeth at Kagura's response. She reminded him of Kaede and from her words, they both knew something that he didn't. And they weren't going to tell him. "I already know about the Prophecy, bitch." She wasn't helping matters any. Something was gravely wrong. With everything.

"Your ignorance will likely cost Kagome her life."

Kagura spun around, the look on her face furious as Sesshomaru took a step in their direction. "You are as much to blame as Inuyasha." And he was. She wouldn't let Sesshomaru out of this one. Kagura didn't understand how the two brothers could be so naïve. Sesshomaru had played a dangerous game, taking what wasn't his and Inuyasha was in denial.

How couldn't they know how far the Prophecy went? The consequences that would be tied to Kagome's very life?

"Do not, Sesshomaru." Kaede shook her head, eyeing the two brothers. They had both made fatal mistakes and the result would end in life or death. "You took what was not yours." She shifted her gaze to Inuyasha where he held Kagome in his arms. "And you…you refuse to see. Kagome is still bonded to Sesshomaru." She wanted to say more but the words wouldn't come. The Prophecy would not let her speak of such things. Not until the two brothers understood the truth for themselves. Kagome was still bound to Sesshomaru but not in the sense that they were Mates. Inuyasha hadn't given her his Mating mark. Sesshomaru's mark on her shoulder would be like a poison to her body.

"You carry the essence of the Jewel, Inuyasha. You took her body and broke the physical bond and in doing so, took it into your body. You will need that to complete the Jewel once again. You two must go find what the Jewel has lost. It must be returned to Kagome." She paused, cursing the Power of the Prophecy that refused to let her guide them anymore than she was. "But I warn you both, now that the Prophecy is broken and the Power broken up, it must be returned by her Mate. If it is returned by any other, Kagome will die. There will be chance for her as there is now."

And in that, she knew Sesshomaru knew that he couldn't restore the Power to Kagome himself. It all came down to Inuyasha. The problem with that was, Inuyasha was likely to kill Kagome himself because for him to return that Power to her, he would have to realize she was his Mate and he hadn't. Not even Sesshomaru could tell him.

Everything was fucked.

* * *

><p>Sesshomaru knew the bond between him and Kagome was lost. A small fragment still connected them but he knew if he took her again when the Power was restored to her, he would kill her. Inuyasha had finally taken her—his true Mate—but he hadn't <em>mated<em> her. It was too late for Sesshomaru to change that. He hated with a passion, knowing that Kagome's life was in Inuyasha's hands. The fool didn't even realize it. If she died the Jewel would be unstable. If Naraku managed to reach the Power before they did, Kagome was lost. The Power would be corrupted and not even Naraku would be able to control it by himself. But that wouldn't stop him from absorbing what energy he could.

Inuyasha ignored pushed ahead of Sesshomaru. He didn't see how Kagome could be dying. It didn't make sense. She was healthy. Everything about her was perfect. But Kaede hadn't lied, he would have smelled it. The thought of her dying sent pain through the region of his heart. He'd retrieve the Jewel Powers because he _refused_ to let her die. His nose twitched as he took to the trees.

"What the hell is that smell?" He barked out, annoyed. Sesshomaru, of course, ignored him. Bastard.

Wet dirt. Soil. Something not…right. Inuyasha launched himself from the trees, soaring through the air and landed on the ground. He lifted his head and ten feet in front of him stood Kikyo. He sucked in a sharp breath, disbelief filtering across his face. "You bitch." Inuyasha gritted out. The bitch had sealed him to that tree because she didn't believe in half demons. Either you were human or demon.

"_No creature, human or demon, should suffer a half-life."_

Those were the last words he'd heard before she had shot him with her arrow. He hadn't seen her in fifty years and even though she had made it clear he was not meant to be in the world—she was beautiful. She reminded him of…

_Someone that should be his. Someone that was his._

He frowned at the confusing thoughts and then something clicked in his mind as he stared at her. She hadn't changed in fifty years. Her features were the same, as if she hadn't aged. And she wasn't dead. That wasn't right. Kaede had told him Kikyo had died. His nose twitched again. Graveyard soil. "You're supposed to be dead."

She looked the same but somehow she was…different. He stiffened as she started towards him, covering the distance. Then she was there, the scent of Graveyard soil overwhelming him. She smelled like dirt. He recoiled as she moved closer, so close she touched him. Her hands slid up his chest, sliding over his red houri top. What the hell was she doing? He reeled back, or at least he thought he had, as she leaned up on her tip toes. Her hands cupped his neck before he felt her lips touch his.

Jesus, what was she doing? Kikyo hated him.

Her lips moved against his, one of her hands resting against the center of chest, warming his skin.

"_INUYASHA! NO! _Stop her!" Sesshomaru roared from behind him.

His senses came flooding back but he could feel the burn in his chest as she kissed him, her hand moving back, inch by inch from his chest. He jerked his head back and glanced down, watched as something glowed inches from the palm of her hand, leaving his body…He hissed, fury flooding him at the emptiness that sealed inside his body. The essence of the Jewel. His hand snaked out but she was out of arms-length before he even blinked and behind her stood Naraku.

"I know everything about you, Inuyasha." Naraku spoke, the look in his eyes gleeful. Evil and malicious. His hand slashed against Kikyo's form and she crumpled to the ground, her body disintegrating into bones and dust. He closed his fist around the pulsing energy and it pulsed in his closed hand, the light flaring between his fingers before the pink faded, glowing pitch black before that too disappeared. Into his body, Inuyasha knew.

"You bastard!" Inuyasha launched himself at Naraku but Sesshomaru jerked him back.

"Stop it, Inuyasha. He's gone! We don't have time for this." Sesshomaru clenched his teeth, fury biting him as he struggled with the need to do Inuyasha bodily harm. Inuyasha's human side had made him weak.


	17. Chapter 17

17

"Kaede, what's happening to me?" Kagome whispered, closing her eyes. The bouts of weakness would come and go. They varied in how long they lasted. Some were seconds, so little that she thought she imagined them, where at other times she couldn't even open her eyes for minutes at a time. Whatever was happening was zapping her strength and then returning it but it left her blood cold, fear settling in her stomach at the truth behind it.

"You're dying, child."

Kaede tried to lessen the blow but Kagome felt it to her very soul. Even before she had asked the question she had known. She just didn't know why. She was far from being sick, or she had been. She was terrified of dying. Not because she feared the afterlife but because she just did. No one wanted to die. She wanted to live.

The lingering weakness hadn't completely left her body. She felt…different. She sat up and drew her knees up, wrapping her arms around them. "It's the Jewel, isn't it?" The Jewel. Killing her. Draining her of everything she was. Kaede nodded, unable to find the words to express her sorrow. Kagome stared across the small hut, her eyes fixing on the round crystal Jewel situated between two tables. It was void of the vibrant pink color that had suffused the inside. Now it was grey in color—just a normal Jewel like any other. But it was the only Jewel that could house the Power.

"Why, Kaede?" She didn't remember the Prophecy saying she would die if it was broken, only that the Power would be transferred to another. And it had. She lifted her head when Kaede didn't answer. Kaede was watching her, the look in her eyes searching, as if she wasn't sure what to say. "Lady Kaede?"

"Because your Mate has not Claimed you."

"Kaede, Sesshomaru…"

"He is not your Mate, child." The words came easily—freely. Nothing stopped the flow of her tongue as Kaede spoke. Kaede realized the Prophecy left Kagome from of that small binding. While she could not tell Inuyasha the truth behind the Mating and who his Mate was, Kagome, she could tell all. It all came down to Inuyasha—that was why. Kagome could know who Inuyasha was, as her Mate, for all eternity, but it wouldn't matter if he didn't know it himself, if he didn't fully claim her. The male was the one who had to make that Claim, to give that final mark on the female's body.

"Kaede…"

"While you are not Sesshomaru's Mate, he took you. Something in his blood matched yours. Something in his body that would match that of your true Mate."

Her very world seemed to tilt at those words. Sesshomaru was not her Mate. The words echoed in her mind. Sesshomaru was not her Mate. It didn't seem possible. It wasn't possible. Her mind rushed at the thought, her ears roaring and she swallowed at the nausea rising, threatening to consume her. She felt dizzy.

Sesshomaru was not her Mate.

All the times he had taken Kagura—never truly faithful to her. She had never been satisfied even though she had wanted to be true to no one but him. But she had wanted _more. _She had always wanted what she had seen between Miroku and Sango. She had never _wanted—needed—_until she had seen Inuyasha.

Inuyasha.

Her eyes snapped open as the agonizing realization set in. Inuyasha was her Mate. No sooner had she realized the truth of that then she doubled over, her hand clamping over the Mating mark on her shoulder. She cried out as the mark burned, as if searing clear through her skin. She wanted it _off._ "Oh God, get it off." Kagome whispered hoarsely—begging. She could feel Kaede beside her, on her knees and trying to reach her. Trying to soothe her—terrified for her.

"I can't. Only Inuyasha can undo the damage." Kaede whispered, stroking Kagome's back. It wasn't fair that Kagome had to suffer this. Her body, while having found its Mate, was rejecting the mark of another demon male's mark on her body. The burn would fade but it would still cause her pain until—if—Inuyasha realized who and what he was. If Kagome had been any other human, her body would not react so. It only did this because she was compacted for the Protection of the Jewel—as well as Chosen to be the Mate of a half-demon. Her very soul was different from that of a human.

"Kaede…"

"Yes, child?"

"My chest hurts…I can't…breathe…"

Kaede pulled back, confusion in her eyes. She bowed her head to see Kagome and sucked in a sharp breath. She laid Kagome down onto the make-shift bed and pressed her hand over Kagome's lungs. She channeled healing energy into her body until the constriction in Kagome's chest eased. Kagome's eyes slid closed, sensual relief flooding her face. She felt…dizzyingly, tired weak…

"Now that you know, the Prophecy has given you even less time. I'm sorry, child…" Kaede whispered, sorrow in her voice.

Kagome could feel her strength coming back but she was weaker than she had been before. And she knew it would do that each time. Return her strength but with less and less. The burn in her shoulder was already fading but she wanted the mark off. The pain was a dull, throbbing ache. It explained everything. Her unexplainable attraction to him, the need that coursed through her body when she saw him, the way her heart clenched…

Inuyasha was her Mate.

A sob rose up and then the damn inside her broke. She couldn't hold it back. It didn't make sense that she was crying but she was. "Oh God, Kaede." She had always looked on Kaede as if she were her mother and in that sense, Kaede was the mother she'd never had.

"Shh, child. It will be alright." Kaede murmured soothingly but she could only hope her words were true. That didn't stop the tears from coming though. They tore at Kaede's heart and she prayed that Inuyasha would realize his tie to Kagome before it was too late. For the sake of the world and their lives but more than that, for Kagome.

"Oh, Kaede, I love him." The words were torn from her on a hoarse, tear stained whisper.

"There's nothing wrong in that, Kagome. Love comes in different ways. It can take time and at others, it can happen in the blink of an eye. With Mates…it is spontaneous." Kaede hadn't expected to hear those words but Kagome had finally found true love. Her Mate. That would only make the pain worse. Only hasten her to her death. Inuyasha _had_ to hurry.

* * *

><p>"Fuck." Inuyasha ran a hand through his hair, frustrated. He was beyond pissed. Having Sesshomaru near him wasn't making things easier, either. He was such a fuck up sometimes, he wouldn't deny that. It had been utter idiocy to fall for Naraku's crap. Inuyasha didn't know how Naraku had known about Kikyo but he had known that he and Kikyo had a past, no matter how gruesome it had been.<p>

"Shit…dammit!" He cursed again. His emotions were a wreck and he could only attest that to his human side. It was going haywire and that just didn't sit well with him. What. The. Fuck.

"You're feeling her emotions."

Inuyasha lifted his head, staring at Sesshomaru's back. "What?"

"What you're feeling are her emotions. You're tied to her as I am." And Sesshomaru didn't sound the least bit happy about that.

Well, how about that? One big happy fucked up family. He was agitated and these emotions weren't helping. Knowing they were Kagome's almost drove him over the edge. Why was she near tears? "I didn't ask for it." He muttered.

"I warned you."

Inuyasha hadn't asked for it but like hell if he regretted it. There was nothing about Kagome that he regretted. Even if she had ripped his dick off, he probably would have thanked her afterwards. What was up with that? He snorted and crossed his arms. Something was seriously wrong with him, something that involved Kagome.

"Sesshomaru?"

"What?"

"This Prophecy thing, there are four Chosen, right?" Which meant there were four men who would be after the Jewel and then Kagome. Inuyasha wasn't so sure he liked that. Oh yea, something was seriously wrong with him.

"Yes."

"Then who's the fourth?"

"I don't know."

"What do you mean 'you don't know'?" Inuyasha muttered. "You're supposed to know all this shit."

"I know all I need to." Sesshomaru stopped then and half turned, the look on his face unerringly calm—unreadable. "Know this, Inuyasha; if she dies her death will be at your hands. Then I will kill you."

Inuyasha snorted. As if. But there was that phrase again. Why the hell were they trying to put the blame off on him? Yes, he was one of the Chosen but that didn't mean he would willingly kill her. He cared for her. He wanted her desperately just like he would a Ma—

His head jerked up, his senses flaring. "Over there." He felt the Power of the Jewel. It wasn't the essence but it was part of the energy of the Jewel. So it wasn't Naraku…He flew past Sesshomaru, running over the ground so fast he was a blur. Someone else was with the Energy—and it was equal to it—a Chosen. The Fourth. Someone powerful. His blood chilled as he stopped, his feet digging in the ground as he skidded, cursing as he stared at the man across the field. The Fourth Chosen. He heard Sesshomaru behind him, felt the same tension gripping Sesshomaru that had taken him.

He watched as the man held the floating energy in his palm. "Hello, Sesshomaru. Inuyasha…"

"Fuck." Inuyasha whispered, disbelief filtering through him. Things had gone from bad to worse. The man before them was tall with flowing white hair. He was a demon—a powerful one.

Their Father. Inutaisho.

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><p>(OH! I hope this chapter met standards! I really, REALLY enjoyed writing the last part…just the tip of the iceberg, so to speak. Hehehe)<p> 


	18. Chapter 18

(I'm so sorry for the late update! I've been at my mom's all day and I just can't seem to write anything unless I'm in my own environment—home. Lol. I guess I'll have to make this one bad ass chapter to make up for it. =P )

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><p>18<p>

"Shit."

Inuyasha stared at the last person—ever—that he had suspected of being the fourth Chosen. It hadn't even entered his mind. Inutaisho. He hadn't seen his Father in years. His appearance was the same as it had been then.

What kind of sick joke was this?

His nose twitched as he inhaled, seeking the familiar scent that he knew would be his Fathers. No way in hell was he falling for Naraku's bullshit again. The tense set of his shoulders eased as he found it and realized that the man standing in front of them was Inutaisho. But their relationship was far from easy. His attention snapped back to the floating energy and watched as Inutaisho's hand closed around it, absorbing it into his body.

Inuyasha cursed and stepped past Sesshomaru, ignoring him completely. "Sorry, but I'm gonna be needing that, _pops."_

Inutaisho didn't as much as blink. "I'm afraid I can't do that, Inuyasha."

"Like hell!" His Father of all people would understand the circumstances. He had to. Inuyasha felt a string of curses rising up but he restrained himself. He respected his old man at least that much.

"I can't."

"Like hell! You're not her Mate, you bastard! Kagome will die if you touch her with that." Inuyasha bit out, fury riding him. Ok, so his father was more of an asshole than he remembered. He hadn't exactly always been easy, either.

"I cannot give this to you, Inuyasha." Inutaisho repeated, his voice unerringly calm.

He couldn't give the Power to him. Not won't, not wouldn't—he couldn't. He _couldn't._ Inuyasha narrowed his eyes. What the hell? He lifted his hand and flexed his fingers, cracking his knuckles with the move. He was going to have to do his Father bodily harm, looked like. He really wanted to avoid that. "Yes, you can." He bit out.

Smoothly and without hesitation Inutaisho withdrew the sword at his hip. The blade was long and smoothly polished, the tip a squared edge that was honed to a fine, sharpened point. "If you want this, Inuyasha, come retrieve it."

Inuyasha didn't hesitate. If he had to fight his Father—even kill him—to save Kagome, so be it. He withdrew Tetsusaiga from its sheath and wielded it in front of him, the sword flaring to life in his hands. How many times had he wanted Inutaisho to witness his own son wielding his sword? To see how he controlled the power—he, a mere half demon. Too bad it had to be like this. He knew that he would have to more than likely kill Inutaisho to retrieve the Power.

"Fine." Inuyasha bit out and took off. He hefted the sword over his shoulder and swung without remorse.

"_Windscar!"_

The thick, heavy waves of pulsing white energy tore through the ground; flying towards the only man he had ever called 'Father'. Inuyasha wasn't stopping their though. He wasn't taking chances with Kagome's life.

"_Backlash Wave!"_ He threw the attack seconds after the first. Inutaisho hadn't attacked him but his father was almost demonic energy himself. That was enough—he could cut through the energy surrounding him, making his body vulnerable towards the aftershock of the attack.

"Do not play me for a fool, Inuyasha. You can do better than that."

Inuyasha jerked his head up, skidding back as Inutaisho came at him, jumping off the tip of Tetsugaiga. His sword swung, aiming for the vulnerable curve his Inuyasha's neck but he missed by inches.

"If you want this, you must take it. I cannot give it to you."

Those words again, bit out, hard and angry. Inuyasha felt the _need_ that he _had_ to fight his Father. He wanted to. He had to. Their swords clashed, sparks flying and demonic energy flaring up whenever the swords clashed. Some family reunion. He swung his sword wide and this time, Sesshomaru was there. Their three swords came up against one another, two sons against their Father. Inuyasha struggled for supremacy, the strength to push them both back.

"Take it, Inuyasha." Inutaisho urged, his voice tight. "Prove that you are worthy of my demonic blood flowing in your veins.

"You fool." Sesshomaru hissed the insult hurtled towards Inuyasha.

More than anything, Inuyasha hated how Sesshomaru talked so low of him, mocking him of his human heritage but instead of striking out at Sesshomaru he twisted his wrist and the Tetsusgaiga tilted back, the sword flaring back to its original rusted form. He didn't stop. He sent the dulled blade plunging, stabbing through the center of Inutaisho's chest. The blade was weak but there was enough force to cut through tissue and muscle. The move had been deliberate. The dulled sword void of demonic energy wouldn't kill Inutaisho. That didn't mean it wouldn't hurt like hell though—and release the Power.

Inuyasha withdrew his sword, the scent of blood rising hard and fast to assault his senses. His Father's blood. Inuyasha didn't understand the reason behind it but his Father had been willing to give the Power to him—but he couldn't. He had to fight to keep the Power.

And Inuyasha had beaten him.

Inuyasha could feel the pulsing energy gathering in Inutaisho's chest and reached his hand out, fingers spread wide. He snarled, his head lifting as he felt a throbbing demonic energy approaching. More powerful than anything he had ever felt. More vile and evil—"Ah, fuck." He raised his arm, covering his nose and mouth as a heavy mist of Miasma fell, encompassing them. He could feel the demonic aura in the miasma itself, powerful in its own right. It almost made it impossible to see.

Who the hell could control something like this?

It was strong enough to pull them all under, the demonic aura heavy as it soaked into him. His human side was weak against it.

"Inuyasha."

"_What?"_ He growled the words out, his skin itching. His body ached, the dark feeling pulsing inside his body pushing to the surface. _"What?"_ He growled out again when Inutaisho's didn't answer, or at least, he thought he had growled the word out loud. He hadn't. Shit…The miasma was tugging at him, his insides twisting, growing hot. He growled again, a harsh violent need rising up. The dark, demonic energy in the miasma was strong, he could _feel_ it. He groaned, his mind closing off from anything else but the power coursing up through him. He wanted to rage out, to slash and kill. His cheeks burned, something marking his skin—his cheeks and—

"Inuyasha, no!"

Inuyasha growled as arms circled around him from the side and something heavy—some kind of cloth—covered his nose and mouth. The scent, familiar and old rose up—someone like himself—birth father. He growled again, the sound savage as he struggled with the hot, burning feeling inside, the need to kill pushing him harder, trying to pull him in that direction. The arms pushed him down, hunching him over.

"No, Inuyasha. Don't breathe it in."

The voice, one he hadn't heard in so long, urged his mind and soul away from that darkness, away from the death that he would surely bring. The growls came longer, more guttural. The need to kill something, _anything_, came harder than the first. His nails lengthened. The blade of the offender that was holding him glistened in the darkness and the image there reflected back at him. Him—Inuyasha—his eyes flickering blood red, the golden hues trying to break through. The marks on his cheeks were growing darker, staining his cheeks…

"Shit." He cursed, his voice hoarse as he realized what was happening. The demonic miasma was calling to his demon. He jerked away from Inutaisho but kept the cloth over his nose and mouth as he struggled with his inner demon. He knew if he gave in Kagome would die. They didn't have time to track down and tame a demon Inuyasha. They had to retrieve that Power-

"Inutaisho!" Inuyasha spun around, the name roaring from his lips. He remembered why they had been fighting—the Power in their Father. Someone else was here to take that and they had been thoroughly distracted. But he knew he was too late as felt the outburst of Power that always came with the removal from someone's body.

"WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU, BASTARD?" Inuyasha slashed through the miasma, moving blindly. Then he knew. He knew exactly who the culprit was. The force of energy, the vileness was pure evil. "Naraku." He whispered through clenched teeth as the miasma started to evaporate as suddenly as it had appeared. He didn't spare Inutaisho a glance. The old bastard was fine, even if he was bleeding from his chest. He lifted Tetsusgaiga over his head as he spotted the bastard.

"Do it, Inuyasha."

The deep, amused chuckle grated on his nerves.

"Do it, Inuyasha. With the death of my body this whole region will be covered in Miasma. Do you really think the humans will be able to withstand it?"

"Son of a bitch." Inuyasha lowered the sword but he didn't loosen his grip. He couldn't look away from the four swirling masses of energy around Naraku. He sucked in a sharp breath, denial rising up—and bone chilling fear. Naraku had every piece that the Jewel need, every last pulse of energy. But they were no longer pure. They glowed with an inner darkness that had taken over the pure pink light. Now, they were pitch black, so much to the extent that Inuyasha could feel the evil vibe from five feet away.

To hell with it. Inuyasha jumped in the air and launched himself at Naraku. He wasn't expected the swirling mass of dark miasma Naraku hurtled his way but Inutaisho was there, shadowing Inuyasha's body from the attack. Inuyasha knew he couldn't withstand the miasma—not one that power—and live through it without turning full demon.

"Stop him—!" Inuyasha started, pure hatred in his voice.

"Go." Inutaisho pulled away, cutting him off directly. "Go or she'll die. If she takes in that negative energy she won't survive it. Not without her Mate. Yo—"

Inuyasha ignored the blunder, the choked sound that cut Inutaisho off. He didn't give a damn about him right now. His lip curled, lifting in a silent snarl as he headed in the direction towards Kaede's village. He was going to kill the bastard, rip him limb from limb—

He was spun around and a hard fist connected with his jaw.

"Don't you dare leave until you have it figured out. Do you want her to die?" Sesshomaru bit the words out.

"What the fuck?" He didn't have time for this.

"No." Sesshomaru blocked his way, his hand curling in the front of Inuyasha's red houri. "She'll die without her Mate. If he's not the one to give the Power back...Kagome. Will. Die."

A gust of wind followed the words, the harshness of it echoing the anger in Sesshomaru's voice. Kagura stared down at him and Inuyasha restrained the urge to snarl. He could still feel the demon just beneath the surface. The miasma had been that strong and he knew all it would take was one push and he would turn.

"Kagura, move him before I do—"

"Inuyasha, she'll die without her Mate. Do you understand that?" Her words were low, the look in her eyes unreadable. "Who do you think your Mate is? The one person you can't give up? Do you want to live _without_ her?"

_Do you want your Mate to die?_

The words were unspoken but Inuyasha recognized them none the less. Something inside him tore in agonizing fear. Kagome was going to die if he didn't stop Naraku—if he didn't reach her before him. The realization tore through him.

Oh God, Kagome was his Mate.

He was running before any of the others could stop him, running as if his very life depended on it. It did. Kagome would die if he didn't reach her before Naraku. Kagome…she was his Mate.


	19. Chapter 19

19

"Kaede…something's wrong."

Kagome could feel it. Her body felt like lead, her muscles sluggish and when she did manage to move, it felt as if she were wading through quicksand. She had never feared death before. She hadn't had a reason to. Now, it terrified her. There were so many things she hadn't accomplished, she realized. So many things she hadn't experienced. Oh God, she didn't want to die. The worst part was that she _knew_ something was wrong. Sesshomaru nor Inuyasha had the Power in their grasps. How she knew that, she wasn't sure. But she _knew._

She stared into the darkness behind her closed eyelids, wanting to warn Kaede but the more she tried to speak, the more she wanted to let her body ease—to sleep. But what she could feel coming had her senses on alert, her mind screaming a warning.

'_You're mine. Everything.' _The voice entered her mind like black sludge.

"I know, child."

Kagome managed to open her eyes, forcing up the heaviness. "Wh…what did you say?" She wanted to listen to Kaede, to bathe in the goodness of her voice but she couldn't concentrate. Her skin itched, her insides ached and _something_ moved inside her. Her body seized but not one muscle twitched. Nothing to show the brutal silent attack that had her heart pounding. Her muscles contracted and her fingers twitched. She could feel the dark stain on her soul and whimpered in fear.

She could feel the darkness in her body, the darkness in her mind. And that, she wanted away from more than anything. The thoughts in her mind were anything but innocent. They were cruel and disdain. Her fingers twitched and she opened her mouth but no words came out. She turned her head and stared at Kaedes bent form as she prayed over her. She tried again even as her hand moved, as the insidious voice whispered in her mind. Pleasure swamped her, hard and cold. Oh God, she tried to stop her hand as it moved, her fingers curling around the hilt of the blade resting against the wall. She tried to warn Kaede but no words would form in her throat.

_She HAD to do this. One act, one mark of darkness on her soul._

She flinched at her own thoughts but she knew they weren't her thoughts. Her mind, her very actions was being controlled. She couldn't conceive of someone so powerful, so filled with hatred that they could achieve this. Her mind screamed a warning as she rolled onto her side and staggered to her knees. The sword felt heavy in her weak hands but she moved it easily. The blade clattered along the floor and Kaede lifted her head but it was too late. Kagome cried out, finally, her heart twisting in painful agony as she stabbed the blade through Kaedes chest with a strength she shouldn't have possessed. She could hear the sickening sound of steel cutting through flesh.

"Oh God, forgive me, Kaede." Kagome whispered raggedly, begging for the older woman to understand. She could see the shock in the older woman's eyes. And pain. Kagome realized then why her cheeks felt so hot, so wet. She was crying. She silently begged for Kaede to understand and she hoped what she saw in her eyes was acceptance and forgiveness. She would know that Kagome would never do something horrible, wouldn't she? She had to! The blade clattered to the ground and she watched as Kaede began to fall. She cried out and rushed forward but her body was still too weak. She crashed down beneath the weight of Kaede's body, the blood soaking through her clothing.

"Please, please forgive me." Kagome whispered through ragged tears as she blindly searched for a pulse but she already knew. The blade had killed Kaede in one stroke, slicing through the center of her heart.

"Oh my God."

Kagome realized then that she was covered in blood. Her expression changed to one of horror and she started pushing at Kaede's body. She pulled out from beneath her prone body and rolled over onto her stomach and started crawling towards the doorway. She didn't want to look back, to see Kaede lying there in a pool of her own blood but she had to. She couldn't stop herself. A sob rose up when she did. The only woman she had ever known as mother lie there—dead. She'd killed her.

Her whole body seized again and then her muscles went slack and she collapsed onto the hard floor, her cheek pressed against it. Just as suddenly her strength returned, the muscles in her body flexing from the lack of use. She sucked in a sharp breath. She could move again—she could breathe without difficulty. Her stomach plummeted as she realized that the Jewel was near, the Power within reach…She lifted her head and stared up into Naraku's pleased, handsome face.

How could someone so evil be so beautiful?

Kagome did the only thing she could think of. She screamed for the one person that she wanted—needed—the most. The only person that could save her.

"_Inuyasha!"_

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><p>"Inuyasha!"<p>

Inuyasha ignored the roar of his father, ignored the hard body slamming against his side that efficiently knocked him to the left and away from the blast of miasma that spewed into their path. If Naraku thought cleverly placed traps of miasma was going to stop him, then he was out of his fucking mind.

Inuyasha didn't give a damn if he turned full demon. If he killed his Father and Sesshomaru in the process, so be it. As long as he reached Kagome before it was too late.

"Watch where you're going, Inuyasha."

Through the haze in his mind Inuyasha faintly heard his Father again and while he knew each time the miasma engulfed him, it threatened to turn him into a murderous, enraged demon again, he couldn't stop himself. His only thought was to reach Kagome. He knew he should have more care but he couldn't afford to slow down.

"I'm watching, old man." Inuyasha snarled, fighting the need rising inside him. They just didn't understand. He'd die if he lost Kagome. Naraku didn't understand he would kill Kagome. Sure, he would corrupt the power of the Jewel but once that was finished and Kagome died, the Jewel would be useless. Either way, Naraku had to die. First, he had pissed him off. Second, as long as Naraku was alive he would want Kagome no matter if she belonged to another man or not.

His demon side had never fully retreated. It was still there on the surface, threatening to push him over the edge. The danger in the air, the vile demonic aura surrounding them all called to it. The demon markings on his cheek were vague but clear enough to be seen. He was almost there. Just hold on, he whispered to himself grimily.

"_Inuyasha!"_

Oh God. Inuyasha was not prone to fear but he couldn't stop it from coursing through him then. He could only imagine that he was too late, that Naraku had tainted the Jewel and she was dying—

Inuyasha skidded to a halt as he came into the clearing. Blood assaulted his senses. He saw Naraku leaning up from the ground from where he had been crouched. Kagome lay before him, the look in her eyes slack. A large bowl of light was entering her body through her chest, being absorbed into her flesh. Inuyasha roared and launched himself at them. He didn't know how he made it, how he reached Naraku so fast but he was there, slamming the bastard back towards Sesshomaru.

"No." Inuyasha snarled, turning to Kagome. "You will not die." He had to stop the ball of energy from being absorbed into her body. He didn't even stop to think. He threw himself on top of her, pressing his body flush against hers, his chest against hers. Hot energy crackled between them and he heard Inutaisho roar out his name again. His chest burned and he could see what was happening in his very mind—his soul. His body was absorbing the dark energy from hers; the bowl of energy that hadn't yet entered her body was reacting to his—flowing into his.

His whole body charged with dark energy and he convulsed above her body, his body tensing as the dark energy absorbed into his body. A dark, filtering rage covered his vision. He growled, the sound vicious as he heard others calling out as his name. Red hazed over his vision and then—he couldn't think. The dark energy was pulsing inside his body, reacting to something inside him. Something inside him snapped and he looked up. He roared up, attacking the first person he saw, his mood intent on _killing. Kill. Kill. Kill._

Kagome wasn't sure what happened but as her vision came back into focus, the numbness leaving her body, she saw Inuyasha. But it wasn't him. She tried to call his name but couldn't form the words in her raw throat yet. She didn't understand why he was so viciously attacking Sesshoamru—very easily pushing the other demon back. Through his long hair she caught glimpses of his face, his crimson eyes, and the demon markings on his cheeks…


	20. Chapter 20

20

Inuyasha had saved her. But in doing so he had no doubt doomed them both. Kagome watched helplessly as Inuyasha threw himself at Sesshomaru and Inutaisho, with no thought but to kill. She didn't know that from her past dealings with his demon side. She knew it because she felt it. The connection was there, deep down between them.

They were bonded.

But it wasn't right. "No, no, no." Kagome knew she shouldn't have felt this weak and as she took a stumbling step towards him, whispering his name, she fell face first. She barely managed to brace her arms in front of her, cushioning her head. All she knew was that she had to reach Inuyasha. She had to stop him. Sesshomaru wouldn't be able to help her in this—he was too busy fighting off Inuyasha; their Father wasn't fairing much better. "Damn you." She sobbed, only then realizing that she was crying, not even sure if she was Inuyasha for his stupidity or Naraku.

"I'm not giving up on you!" The words barely passed her lips, more of a puff of breath than words—that's how weak she was.

_The blood was intoxicating, the smell heightening his senses and driving him crazy. He wanted more, needed more—_Kagome gagged, her senses reeling as her mind fought to take it all in. Her spiritual powers automatically fought it, her body not meant for such vile thoughts, the pleasure and want of the kill. Inuyasha's thoughts. She had to reach him, that was all she knew. Kagome curled her fingers in the clumps of grass and dragged herself across the bloodied terrain. Inch by inch. She visualized her body running to him, the muscles in her legs and thighs pumping to make them move but they wouldn't. She was barely managing to move, weaker and weaker the closer she came to him—

"Stop, Kagome! Dammit, you fool! Don't come any closer to him. Not with him in this condition." Sesshomaru hissed out the words, halting her sluggish movements across the ground. For only a moment. Didn't Sesshomaru understand that she had to reach him?

"Move. Get up." Kagome whispered, ignoring Sesshomaru completely. He was a cold, heartless bastard. Her body shook as she braced her arms and tightened the watery muscles in her arms and legs and forced herself up onto her hands and knees.

"Dammit! The closer you get to him the weaker you will become. You've bonded and Mated but the Jewel is unstable." Sesshomaru couldn't finish as Inuyasha took a bloodied swing towards him.

"You'll become weaker with each step towards him." Inutaisho finished, grunting as he slammed Inuyasha's demon from through the forest.

And she would grow weaker until there was nothing left in her. "I…don't care. He has to be stopped." She knew that attack from Inutaisho wouldn't faze Inuyasha. He came soaring through the trees, the roar vibrating the ground. And she was so close…She wanted nothing more than to close her eyes and pretend as if none of this had happened, that she and Inuyasha were still in the hut, naked and in each other's arms. "Dammit." She forced her heavy lids up, her body consumed by the heavy weakness and lurched to her feet. Her world spun and she tilted to the side and then through herself forward. Towards Inuyasha.

He must have sensed her, silly her; of course he would, because he spun around. His blood red savaged eyes met hers and then the death grip of his hand was around her neck, squeezing and her feet left the ground. Kagome swore she was flying for a moment but his hand never left her throat—and then she was slamming down onto the ground. The impact knocked the breath from her lungs. Her lungs seized, trying to draw air in where there was no way. She saw Inuyasha know Sesshomaru and Inutaisho away with one sweep of his free hand but she couldn't make out what they were saying through the rush in her head, the weakness overtaking her limbs.

"Inu…" Kagome wheezed out, staring up at the agonizing familiar face above her own. She didn't see a trace of him in his eyes—but he had to be there somewhere. She cried out, the sound muffled as she suddenly slammed and shoved her sideways across the ground so that she skidded on the hard ground till her back snapped up against a tree. Before she even managed to open her eyes she felt a fiery burn on her right side, felt the rake of his claws, the pain ending just above her hip. Her side burned, a slick warm feeling seeping through her clothes.

"Inuyasha!" Inutaisho roared, the sound almost muted to her ears. No…no. They were trying to draw his attention away from her. They all knew how far gone he really was if he had hurt Kagome. Denial rose up. Kagome couldn't let them do it. She knew she didn't have the strength to reach him again. If she was going to save him, save them all, he had to come to her. She reached out blindly, her hand fumbling until she curled her fingers around the sharp, jangled edge of a rock. Inuyasha was already turning so she did the only thing she could, though foolish it was. She threw the rock at the side of his head. It didn't even make it that far, instead glancing off his leg but that was all it took.

All of his attention and his demonic rage were focused on her.


	21. Chapter 21

21

It didn't even enter Kagome's mind that Inuyasha could kill her. Her mind was too focused, too intent on bringing his killing instincts under control and stopping the madness. She struggled to keep her eyes opened as he lunged towards her. Faintly she could make out the others trying to reach her but she couldn't focus on them. Inuyasha stopped suddenly, his body jolting. She felt the hot, heated splash of blood splay across her. She blinked, trying desperately to take in his enraged growls.

"I'm sorry, Inuyasha, but I can't let you kill her. She already bares the mark of your rage. You'll just have to take her place of death."

A thick, veined tentacle protruded from Inuyasha's chest. Kagome didn't have to follow that twisted limb to know it belonged to Naraku. The tips thrust forward cleanly through his chest, spreading to lie flat against his chest so they would have momentum to jerk him back. Her arms shook with fatigue as she forced them up suddenly, locking them around Inuyasha's shoulders. "No. Help me, Inuyasha. Please. I know you're in there somewhere. Help me purify the Jewel—" Her words were cut off, muffled as one bloodied clawed hand twisted into her hair and jerked her head back. Her scalp burned from the vicious tug and she felt his other hand around the back of her hips, his claws digging and then piercing her skin again. She could feel him fighting between her and Naraku but Inuyasha's demon side was fighting against her spiritual energy. He didn't like it.

He was hurting her but Kagome ignored the pain. The air whooshed around them as Naraku jerked them back, still connected to Inuyasha. She held tight, locking her hands together behind his neck, terrified if she didn't she would lose him forever. But she was losing time, not only with the not fully Mated bond, she was losing blood…this had to end. She very likely wasn't going to survey this. But Inuyasha would. She would purify Inuyasha, the Jewel, the dark energy that was inside him, Naraku. She wasn't sure if she could control such a burst of energy, she wasn't so sure that she wouldn't purify Sesshomaru and Inutashio but it was a risk that had to be taken.

The repercussions would be grave for her, Kagome knew that. Such a massive use of energy would be _everything_. There was a chance that it would leave her human—completely human, and with the injuries her body harbored now, she wouldn't be able to heal. She reached up and his hold tightened around her back, shredding her skin where his claws dug. She cupped Inuyasha's face and kissed him. She let herself go and stopped fighting and her energy flared up. Hot bright light infused her body. She could feel the hot energy encompassing her and Inuyasha. His body vibrated against hers, light spewing from the tips of his fingers before there was nothing but the light.

Through the roaring in her ears she heard Inutaisho curse and then she couldn't hold herself up anymore. She sank against Inuyasha, momentarily blinded by the light. Somehow she knew Naraku was fighting it but he wouldn't stand a chance. He didn't stand a chance against her powers unleashed. And she just couldn't do it anymore. "I'm so tired, Inuyasha." Kagome finally whispered. The moment her eyelids slid closed everything happened—exploded. The white light exploded outward, taking in everything.

* * *

><p>Inuyasha groaned. What the fuck? His head hurt, no, screw that, it pounded. A thousand hammers going at the inside of his skull. Not a place on his body didn't hurt. He forced his eyes open and came to the sight of his hands—covered in blood. Disgust filled him as he lifted his head. And then shock. The forest surrounding them was splattered with blood but everything was so…vibrant. There were bloomed flowers, the leaves on the trees so damn green it almost blinded him. He swore he had never seen the forest so healthy—so alive. It didn't make sense. What the hell? And then everything came back, rushing at him. "Kagome!" He was on his feet before he was even thinking, spinning around. He remembered seeing Naraku above Kagome and then <em>nothing.<em> But as he looked around, the first thing he saw was not Kagome. He saw Naraku.

"You bastard." It was an automatic response, especially for him where Naraku was concerned. He withdrew Tetsusaiga, barely paying heed to the small, rusted blade that still resided there. He would have rushed the bastard and run him through but Naraku just stood there staring at him. Staring through him. Inuyasha frowned and then noticed the transparent state of Naraku's body, the way his body was—

"Shit." Inuyasha lurched back in shock. Naraku's body was disintegrating, falling to ash and then disappearing as if he had never been there. The bastard was dead! They had done it, Kagome had…

"Oh God, Kagome." The last thing he remembered was stopping the flow of negative energy into her body. Where was she? He caught sight of Sesshomaru staring at him, his face expressionless. Sesshomaru and Inutaisho were covered small burns but they were already healing. He didn't give a damn.

"Where the fuck is she? Kagome!" Sesshomaru was the closest to him so he turned and headed his way but before he could even lay a hand on his idiot brother, Sesshomaru stopped him, catching his wrist in a tight hold.

"Inuyasha…"

He ignored him, his gaze drawn to the small, bloodied heap behind Sesshomaru.

"She did it to save you." He heard Sesshomaru murmur the words but they barely registered. What? She'd given her life to save him? A harsh groan tore up from Inuyasha's chest. He shoved past Sesshomaru and then dropped to his knees, reaching out and then pausing with his hands inches from Kagomes prone figure.

"K…Kagome…" With shaking hands Inuyasha turned Kagome over into his arms. She was a dead weight in his arms and the word 'dead' resounded in his mind over and over. His eyes moved over her body, the look in his eyes haunted as he took in the bruises, the brutality of her beautiful body. The blood…His heart caved as he saw four precise jagged marks—claws—carved into her side, the blood coating his arms and stomach. "Oh God." His voice was ragged and torn but not because of his body's pain. No, the pain he felt, that came through in his voice, was agonizing. It came from his soul.

He'd done this. He would know his own attacks anywhere. He lifted one of his hands, stared at his fingers and the blood there. Her blood. His fingers, his claws were covered in it—Inuyasha sucked in a sharp breath, staring at his hand. He turned it over and stared at his palm and then over again, at the fingers absent of claws. He lowered his head, his eyes finally falling to the black hair falling over his shoulders…

"She did it to save you." Inutashio spoke this time and Inuyasha jerked his head up.

"I don't give a fuck that I'm human, old man." He didn't know how she'd done it but somehow she'd purified the Jewel and destroyed Naraku. But she'd also purified him of his demon side, too. But he didn't give a damn; for Kagome, he'd be anything.

Shit, he loved her.

"No, you're not going to die." Inuyasha laid her down, careful to keep his eyes away from the blood staining her side. He didn't want to see what he'd done. Knowing he had done that was more than enough. His soul would be scarred for all time. "Come on. Don't you dare let her die. You gave her the Power to protect you. Keep her alive." He didn't care if the others heard him. All he cared about was this damn Prophecy keeping her alive. It was real alright and the proof of that, the power of it, was in the after-math surrounding them. He swept her back into his arms but didn't get up. "Breathe." Inuyasha whispered against her ear.

"You're here for a reason, damn you. Stop being so stubborn." Inuyasha cursed her softly but there was no conviction behind it. Still holding her in his arms, he cut his palm with the tip of his rusted Tetsugia behind her back and then cupped his palm over her side. He clamped it tight. He wanted a blood bond; something, anything to bring them closer. He refused to even think of the possibility that the Prophecy wouldn't save her.

After all, they were _both _human now.

"Fuck you." Inuyasha snarled at the unbidden thought and then slammed his palm flat against the center of her chest as he tugged her into his arms, keeping that hand braced between them. Pain infused his body and he saw the crack of energy spew out from beneath his hand but what he heard sent his heart pounding. Kagome gasped and the sound was ecstasy, the most beautiful sound he'd ever heard. She gasped again, drawing breath into her lungs and the pain in his body intensified but he ignored it, holding her tighter. She was alive!

"Kagome." He whispered her name and the pain grew till every one of his muscles was locked with it and then his fingers curled, going numb before claws ripped through the tips and his hair rose up around them, just inches before white silver strands started to take over the black. Shock filtered through him as he _realized._ She was alive and he was a half demon again! She started to pull away but he stopped her, shaking his head.

"No. Let's finish this." He kept one arm around her but pulled back just enough as he tugged her to her feet and with resolve he lifted her right hand and placed it on the center of his chest. He copied the movement, placing his on her chest and he saw comprehension dawn in her eyes. She was alive! He just couldn't stop the job from filtering through him. No matter the blood covering her body, she was alive!

"Bond with me." They spoke in unison and Inuyasha felt the warm vibrating spurt of Power through their hands, something forming, becoming whole. Bonding the Power of the Jewel—between them.

"Now say it." Inuyasha murmured.

Kagome stared up at him, her tongue sliding over her lips. They had done the impossible. The words came easily, ones she wanted—needed—to say. "I'm your Mate."

Sesshomaru turned from the two. He would never fully be easy with the thought of Inuyasha, a mere half demon; no matter that he was blood; holding the Power of the Jewel.

He lifted his head and high above the tree tops he caught sight of a massive feather flying away. The expression on his face narrowed, his eyes growing molten…

_Fin.(End)_

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><p>**I really hope you all enjoyed this story. I certainly did. Sorry for these late, late, LATE updates! I was without my computer for a while! If you're interested in reading Sesshomaru and Kagura's happy ending, here is a short preview. ;-)<p>

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><p><em><span>A different sort of Prophecy:<span>_

Happy endings were a bitch. She couldn't stand to see demons grow so soft. She stared at the scene below, glimpsed through the trees and felt relief that it was all, indeed, over. There was no danger because Kagome had found her one and true Bonded Mate. The Prophecy was as it should be. Inuyasha was still a half Demon. Where was his pride? He was like no demon she had ever known, demon or half demon alike. His nature, everything about him. She was what a demon was. Cool and calm, a cold merciless demon. Just like Sesshomaru. More than anything, _He_ was what a Demon Lord should be. He simply was. He was a cold killer.

She wasn't naïve. She would beg for no man's affections. Especially after their last encounter, she harbored no doubts about Sesshomaru. They had stale-mated and Sesshomaru was not one to be insulted more than once. Their time together had come to an end. She would not test that because she wasn't fool enough to seek him out and Sesshomaru would chase after no woman. She chuckled. Sessholmaru was a hard, dominate male. He _dominated._ That was who he was and having a man like that, was not who _she_ was. Two dominates clashed. It just wouldn't do.

Her senses spiked as a demonic aura rose up suddenly. She lifted her right hand and the air around her twisted, spinning the Feather halfway around so she could meet her attacker. Her eyes narrowed, the only sense of shock she showed but it was too late. Sesshomaru was already there, his hand curling around her neck. Before she realized what was happening they were soaring off the Father at a hard, fast pace. He never released her, his hand an unbreakable hold that kept her straight out beneath his body. They crashed to the ground, her first, forming a heavy crater around their bodies. It didn't even wind her, just left her momentarily shocked.

But not for long.


End file.
